Earth Hour is Good for Business
Media release 24 March 2009

With just four days to go to WWF’s Earth Hour™ 2009, a diverse group of New Zealand businesses have committed to switching off lights and signage to show their support for action on climate change.

Hundreds of commercial buildings and signs across New Zealand will be in darkness at 8.30pm on Saturday 28 March for Earth Hour, a global act of solidarity with a simple cause; showing world leaders people want strong action on climate change.

WWF’s Dairne Poole, New Zealand’s Earth Hour Project Director, says “Earth Hour is an opportunity for the business community to come together and show that they are part of the movement that supports action on climate change. We’re grateful to all the businesses that have made national commitments to switch off their lights for Earth Hour, and to all those who have committed locally. For those businesses who have yet to commit – it’s not too late to get on board. We are asking all businesses in New Zealand to be part of Earth Hour by turning the non-essential lights on your buildings out at 8.30pm on Saturday 28 March.”

Ms Poole said that whilst some businesses were switching off lights at 8.30pm, others were leaving them turned off from Friday for the whole weekend of Earth Hour.

Cameron Harland of Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand said, “Saatchi & Saatchi have a fundamental belief that big ideas can change the world, and that little actions can make a globally important difference. Earth Hour is both of these.”

“We're excited to participate - and have the opportunity to encourage others to participate - in one of the eye-opening events in our history,” says Harland.

“We will be turning all of the lights off in our building before, during and after Earth Hour, including our outside signage and will be sending a text message to every member of staff one hour before Earth Hour to remind them to participate,” he says.

Ian Foye, CEO IAG New Zealand observes, “New Zealand is becoming a costlier and riskier place. Weather and climate are at the core of this for the insurance industry. We underwrite weather-related disasters by calculating, pricing and spreading the risk and then meeting claims when they arise,“ he says.

“A changing, less predictable climate has the potential to reduce the insurance industry's ability to underwrite weather-related risk. This has serious ramifications for the economies of those vulnerable regions where climate and weather risk is greatest.”

"We recognise that in order to continue to protect New Zealanders by managing their insurance risk, we all need to manage our resources better today. “

“Earth Hour symbolises our ability to work together to collectively make a positive difference."

Brent Impey, CEO of MediaWorks comments, “In recognition of the importance of addressing issues such as climate change, MediaWorks is delighted to be supporting WWF and their Earth Hour campaign across both our television and radio brands. We look forward to doing our bit to get as many New Zealanders as possible to participate on the night.”

Andrew Holden, Editor of The Press, noted “Earth Hour is a great opportunity for every individual to show they care about the planet. Symbolism can have great power, and the simple act of switching off our lights demonstrates our commitment to a healthy future,” says Mr Holden.

Jeffrey van Vorsselen, Managing Director of The Langham stated recently, “It is great to see the growth in awareness of Earth Hour within the hospitality industry and with 44 New Zealand towns, cities and regional bodies getting into the spirit of Earth Hour also.”

“We support Earth Hour as it is in line with the hotel’s own ‘Guests of the Earth’ programme. We are continually developing the hotel’s own sustainability practices and didn’t hesitate to pledge our support for Earth Hour again. I am thrilled to see that this year we have been joined by many other industry colleagues,” says Mr van Vorsselen.

To celebrate and promote Earth Hour, Toyota is donating a new Toyota Prius to the Earth Hour online competition which people can enter at www.earthhour/newzealand. Toyota will mark Earth Hour by continuing its policy of turning off all non-essential lights and power at their National Customer Centre, Thames Used Vehicle Plant and Auckland offices, and by encouraging staff and dealers around the country to join in. The organisation is also holding a ‘Black Friday’, where staff are asked wear black on the Friday before Earth Hour, donating money to WWF and raising awareness of Earth Hour the following day.

Malcolm Rands, founder and global CEO of ecostore™ and Earth Hour ambassador tells us:
“It’s an honour to be involved in an initiative that brings us together as a global community, acknowledges the environmental challenges ahead and encourages everyone of us that change can and will happen,” he says.

Mc Donalds Managing Director Mark Hawthorne said, “This Saturday at 8.30pm, McDonald's iconic golden arches will be switched off nationwide for one hour as part of the company's support for New Zealand's first national Earth Hour.”

McDonald's 143 New Zealand restaurants will join thousands of businesses and millions of people across New Zealand and the world taking part in the climate change initiative, which Managing Director Mark Hawthorne says the company is proud to be involved in.

"The McDonald's golden arches are a very recognisable symbol of our restaurants and because of this, we feel that turning them off is a strong way to show that we support the collective actions of New Zealanders taking part in New Zealand's first nationwide Earth Hour," says Mr Hawthorne.

Customers will definitely notice a change in ambience and we hope we'll help inspire people to think about what each little action can add up to for energy conservation,” he says.

WWF is asking people to register their commitment to Earth Hour at www.earthhour.org/newzealand. To help WWF send an even stronger Earth Hour message, send your photos, videos and words on what Earth Hour was like for you to earthhour@wwf.org.nz to help create a huge Earth Hour icon that WWF will present to Government.

WWF’s national sponsors for Earth Hour 2009 in New Zealand are
TV3, More FM, Trade Me and Toyota Prius.
www.earthhour.org

ENDS

About Earth Hour
Earth Hour is a global WWF climate change initiative. Individuals, businesses, governments and communities are invited to turn out their lights for one hour on Saturday March 28, 2009 at 8:30pm to show their support for action on climate change. The event began in Sydney in 2007, when 2 million people switched off their lights. In 2008, more than 50 million people around the globe participated. In 2009, Earth Hour aims to reach out to 1 billion people in 1,000 cities.

About WWF
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

NZ centres participating in 2009

1. Northland Regional Council
2. Chatham Islands,
3. Auckland Regional Council,
4. Auckland City Council,
5. Rodney District Council,
6. Waitakere City Council,
7. North Shore City Council,
8. Papakura District Council,
9. Franklin District Council,
10. Manukau City Council,
11. Hamilton City Council,
12. Environment Waikato,
13. Waikato District Council,
14. South Waikato District Council,
15. Waipa District Council,
16. Thames-Coromandel District Council,
17. Matamata-Piako District Council,
18. Waitomo District Council,
19. Rotorua District Council,
20. Tauranga City Council,
21. Taupo District Council,
22. Masterton District Council,
23. Gisborne District Council,
24. Hastings District Council,
25. New Plymouth
26. Palmerston North City Council,
27. Porirua City Council
28. Upper Hutt City Council,
29. Greater Wellington Regional Council,
30. Wellington City Council,
31. Kapiti District Council,
32. Marlborough District Council
33. Tasman District Council,
34. Nelson District Council,
35. Selwyn District Council,
36. Hurunui District Council,
37. Stratford District Council,
38. Christchurch City Council and
39. Environment Canterbury.
40. Geraldine/ Woodbury township
41. Central Otago District
42. Wanaka
43. Queenstown Lakes District Council
44. Dunedin City Council.

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