Can one hour change the world? Will 60 seconds convince us of the risks posed by global warming? Can 3600 seconds unite us in one single action?

On March 28th, at 8:30 PM, more than 900 cities in 80 different countries throughout 25 time zones will have 60 minutes to stop and think about the harm we’re causing our planet day after day. Believing that together we can make a change, over a billion people around the world will participate in this great global election, where each one will have to choose: The Future of the Earth or Global Warming.

This initiative, where lights from shops, homes, and public spaces are simultaneously turned off, began at 7:29 PM on the 31st of March of 2007 in Sydney, Australia, with the support of the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and local media. That day, over 2 million people took part in the event, remaining in the dark for one hour.

A year later, the stakes were raised higher, with 50 million people participating in the second Earth Hour, on the 29th of March. This time, some of the most symbolic points in the world turned off their lights, such as San Francisco’s Golden Gate  and Rome’s Collseum.

In 2009, Earth Hour appears as the biggest initiative against climate change ever.  It is a potent warning sign, a plead for all of us to start taking responsibility and assuming our role in building a sustainable future.

Amongst the world icons who’ve confirmed their participation on Saturday 28th are the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center in New York, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the Sears Tower in Chicago, the Pyramids of Giza, the Acropolis in Athens, and the Niagara Falls.

Hotels around the world are also playing their part and saying Yes to the Planet in an effort to help draw further attention to the dangers of climate change.  Not only boutique hideouts but large hotel chains like Fairmont Hotels & Resorts have confirmed their participation, going dark for Earth’s hour. 

The future vs global warming- it shouldn’t be difficult to decide for whom to vote this coming Saturday 28th.