Using candlelight Saturday is environmental, not romantic

Quincy Herald Whig

Today's Date- March 27, 2009

By DEBORAH GERTZ HUSAR

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Jenny Arnold is turning off the lights for one hour on Saturday night to do her part to help save the planet.

"I'm going to sit outside and relax if it's nice out, or I'll just light candles in the house," Arnold said. "Doesn't that sound nice?"

Earth Hour encourages people to turn out their lights for one hour, beginning at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, and make a statement about the planet and climate change.

Individuals, families, organizations and more than 1,800 cities in 81 countries -- including Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Moscow, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Shanghai and Mexico City -- plan to take part in the effort launched two years ago by the World Wildlife Fund.

Quincy High School encourages students to participate in Earth Hour in their own homes and promotes recycling and energy conservation throughout the school.

Payson Junior High School students will gather at the school beginning at 8 p.m. to play cards and board games by candlelight and, weather permitting, have a wiener roast. As a follow-up activity, eighth-grade science students have been asked to come up with ideas to help the school save energy.

Admission to the event organized by eighth-graders is $1 per student and a canned good to be donated to a local food pantry. Canned good donations will be accepted from 6 to 9 p.m. from the public.

"I hope they remember this day and carry it on through their family, even when they're not in junior high, and understand how important the Earth is and how important it is to take care of it for future generations," science teacher Shaun Carey said.

Arnold and the Adams County Green Coalition want county residents to take part in Earth Hour and continue the effort throughout the year.

"We just want to create more awareness of environmental practices and things people could be doing within their homes," said Arnold, community and economic development coordinator with University of Illinois Extension Adams/Brown Unit. "People don't realize there are things you can do that don't cost money but save money."

When a light bulb burns out, replace it with an energy efficient bulb, Arnold said. Using cold instead of warm water in the washing machine reduces the amount of energy required.

The coalition works to spread the message to young people by providing classroom resources and adults.

"The Adams County Green Coalition is trying to help provide leadership and contribute some practical solutions to our community to help people and the environment flourish," Arnold said.

More than 50 million people participated in Earth Hour last year. The lights went out at the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Sydney Opera House and the Coliseum in Rome. Ways to spread the word and creative things to do when the lights go out are available online at earthhourUS.org.

-- dhusar@whig.com/221-3379

For More Information Contact:

Adams County Green Coalition
706 Maine St., 3rd Fl. Quincy, IL. 62301
Tel: 217-228-4514
FAX: 217-221-2288
Internet: jearnold@quincyil.gov