Some of London’s most iconic buildings were plunged into darkness last night as part of the Lights Out London campaign.
In what was one of the world’s biggest climate change events ever, Londoners ‘switched off’ non essential lights and appliances between 9pm and 10pm on the longest day of the year. The Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace were just some of the City’s major buildings that took part, and all six advertisers at Piccadilly Circus also agreed to switch off - for the first time since the 1939 blackouts of World War II.
The initiative, which followed similar events in Paris, Rome and Sydney earlier this year, aimed to save around 750 MWh of electricity in just one hour - which according to New Consumer magazine is enough to run 3000 televisions for a year.
Partnering with Capital 95.8 and Global Cool, and supported by London Mayor Ken Livingstone, the Lights Out London event was a unique collaboration of celebrities, statesmen and businesses that set out to show Londoners how a small switch can effect a big change.
“This campaign will bring Londoners together to demonstrate their willingness to tackle climate change,” said Mr Livingstone before the lights went out.
From the London 21 website: “London is a huge and dynamic city. There’s plenty in it to love! However, London is also a hungry city. Food, fuel, building materials, water and much more pour into London from all over the world. What we do here has an impact on the whole planet and it’s time to make some changes.”
Click here to get involved
[…] The stunt, devised by Live Earth architect Al Gore, would not have been the first energy-saving event of the summer, had it gone ahead. As Global Cool reported last week, ‘Lights Out London‘ is an ambitious initiative that aims to convince Londoners to switch off lights and appliances for one hour on 21st June – the longest day of the year. […]
Pingback by Global Cool » (No) Music When the Lights Go Out — June 5, 2007 @ 4:21 pm
[…] Which sounds like an excellent idea. It’s environmentally sound, it helps to promote carbon-neutral living and it’s simple for everyone in London to participate. The campaign’s already had shedloads of publicity. Capital Radio are describing it as “the biggest environmental statement Britain has ever witnessed”, and one of the other organising partners as “the world’s biggest climate change event ever”. The Mayor is behind it, Kim Wilde is behind it, hell even Sophie Ellis-Bextor is behind it. So it must a good thing, right?Well, sadly no. Because the hyped-up PR gibbons have forgotten one very important fact about next Thursday - the longest day of the year. It won’t actually be dark at 9pm. Brilliant. […]
Pingback by WhackyNation - Exposing political wacks and media hacks » London’s save-the-planet-crowd is as smart as Seattle’s — June 13, 2007 @ 4:21 am
It’s a good way to go green!
Comment by Dude — June 17, 2007 @ 1:22 am
This should be done in every major city!
Comment by Dude — June 21, 2007 @ 3:55 pm
so, did ppl co-operate? i’m being alittle ignorant here though does the U.K have a ban on light globes as yet? Oz is outlawing globes in the next few years which is prob a better solution then switching off lights for an hour. sorry to sound like a wet blanket though what about the millions of mobile phones ppl in the U.K are using or millions of old bombs ppl are driving. get ppl to stop using/driving those and you may see a diff.
Comment by suzy — June 22, 2007 @ 6:27 am
well thats really a great idea i think even india should take a step towards saving some elctricity .And not only electricity but it should also adopt all the ways and means by which we can save our earth………
Comment by sandhya — June 22, 2007 @ 8:41 am