Post date: Mar 31, 2012 12:10:28 PM
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (MARCH 31, 2012) (REUTERS) - Sydney's Harbour Bridge and Opera House had their lights turned off at 8.30pm (0930GMT) as Earth Hour 2012 works its way around the globe on Saturday (March 31).
Sydney turns off the lights on the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge as Earth Hour 2012 begins its journey around the globe.
Described as the world's largest voluntary action for the environment, the event sees iconic landmarks being cast into darkness for one hour.
More than 130 countries are gearing up to take part in the event and as the birthplace, Australia embraced the hour as an annual celebration of the planet every year since its inception in 2007.
Watching the switch off from the north shore of Sydney Harbour, Adam Westermann, from Denmark welcomed any effort to reduce energy consumption.
"I think its good to do something to spotlight the problems we're facing in the world right now and this is a way to do it," he said.
Also supporting the switch off was local resident Monica Bergin.
"I think its brilliant. Its a good example for the rest of the world and it originated here in Sydney and the less energy that's used around the globe the better," she said.
Earth Hour has grown from a one-city initiative in 2007 to a global movement, last year reaching 1.8 billion people in 5,251 cities and towns in 135 countries across all seven continents.
Over the next 24 hours the lights will go out on many of the world's most famous landmarks, including the Great Wall Of China, Burj Khalifa, Eiffel Tower, Brandenburg Gate and the Empire State Building.