Danish corporations will follow the tradition of Earth Hour 2009. They will turn out their lights at 7pm on December 16th, says a press release of the Earth Hour Global. This march Bulgaria did the same, without setting anything on fire (because of the candles).

The businesses will send a message to world leaders gathered in Copenhagen for the UN Climate Summit that the local pro community wants a fair, ambitious and binding new climate deal. The characteristic neon lights and lightened facades dominating Copenhagen will turn off, and gift shopping and Christmas carols will be put on stand-by during the single-city Earth Hour.

Businesses that plan to pull the plug and call off the Christmas shopping for one hour include Hotel D’Angleterre and luxurious department store Illum. The romantic gift hunting may be fulfilled with candles. Carlsberg, Tivoli, Mærsk, Codan, Mc Donald’s, Nykredit and Dansk Industri agreed to join the Earth Hour Copenhagen campaign. It is nice to see sometimes that big companies have “soul” despite of the losses. I don’t believe that Bulgarian branches (even those of bigger companies) would take the example seriously.

The luxury of the fashionable Hotel D’Angleterre hotel will be replaced for an hour with the message about the need to tackle the urgent problem of climate change. They can give 10% of their taking for projects concerning energy consuming, but who knows when will happen that. The fact that Earth Hour is in the middle of the busy Christmas shopping, does not concern John Hansen, Trading Director of luxurious department store Illum, which is also taking part in Earth Hour Copenhagen.

“We believe that everybody will be so aware of Earth Hour Copenhagen that nobody will wonder why the facade lights turn off,” says Hansen.

On various locations inside the store the lights will be dimmed and supplemented with lit candles. At 8pm, when the store closes both shop windows and the lights will be turned off. “Of cause we will inform our customers over the speaker system. I expect they will respond positively and I think it will be a very atmospheric night to do your Christmas shopping in Illum,” the Trading Director said.

A good PR campaign like this shows the “emotional” side of the business, but also aims to attract the positive public attention thanks to the well shown society engagement. Green projects open many new ways for business growth and collaboration between private and public area. Companies are built by people after all.

Earth Hour 2009 aims to provide a platform for 1 billion people from around the world to express their desire for unified and urgent action on climate change in the lead up to Copenhagen. This campaign builds on the call for action on climate. It aims to provide a platform for the people of the world to deliver world leaders a mandate for the right decision to be made at the United Nations Climate Summit in Copenhagen in December 2009.

WWF Denmark expects hundreds of corporations, shops and institutions to join with the citizens of Copenhagen and turn off their lights for one hour at 7pm on 16th December. WWW is one of the world's largest and top estimated independent conservation organizations. It has with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. Its mission is to stop the degradation of the natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

How can we help?

Households:

1. Switch off unused lights

2. Switch unused appliances off standby

3. Switch to energy efficient light globes

4. Reduce use of hot water

5. Switch to GreenPower

Businesses:

1. Replace light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs

2. Be more efficient with heating and cooling – turn down the thermostat

3. Reduce use hot water

4. Turn off lights and computers outside working hours

5. Educate your staff and colleagues on energy efficiency