Pledge to power down for Earth Hour and turn off one of these 250 lights. Progress will be updated daily (click on the image to pledge).

Earth Hour will occur this year on Saturday, March 25 from 8:30 – 9:30PM local time. Every year millions of people from around the world power down their lights and electronics for one hour and shine a light on climate change. This year, we plan to participate in a few ways and we hope you will join us.

We’re powering down for Earth Hour…

Red River College is powering down for Earth Hour and we need your help. Non-essential lights will be turned off during the hour, and we ask that before you leave for the weekend you shut down your computers, unplug unnecessary electronics and turn off your lights.

Did you know that the College spends about $555,935 annually powering products plugged into AC outlets and lights? Turning off and unplugging lights and electronics when possible can save a lot of money!

…Are you?

Because Earth Hour is on the weekend, we can make a bigger impact if members of our college community pledge to power down at home.

This is not only a great way to show your support for a global initiative that is working to mitigate climate change, it is also a great way to reflect on our dependence on electricity and to find fun things to do without it! Some ideas of things you can do include:

• Play board games by candlelight
• Organize a candlelit (or no light) walk in your neighbourhood
• Go stargazing
• Host a sing-a-long
• Invite friends for a candlelit potluck

Our goal is to have 250 RRC staff, students and instructors pledge to turn off lights, unplug and turn off non-essential electrical equipment for Earth Hour.

Pledge to participate today! Watch the tracker (above) or in the NDC Library Hallway as well on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as we progress towards our goal!

Power down and Win!

The RRC Campus Store wants to know how you will be celebrating Earth Hour! Visit their Facebook page and post a comment about your contribution to Earth Hour between Monday, March 20 and Monday, March 27 and be entered to win a sustainable prize pack!

Power down year-round

Earth Hour is a symbolic event that sheds a light on a more serious issue. Our dependence on electricity and electronics is part of the problem that leads to climate change. Below are some tips for how you can reduce your load at the College:

• Power down before every weekend and holiday – set a reminder in your calendar or put a sticky note on the door to help remember
• Unplug non-essential electronics when not in use: i.e. toasters, kettles, etc. – these items still use electricity even when turned off
• Keep another sweater at your workspace instead of using a space heater

For some tips on reducing your energy use at home, as well as information on rebates and other incentives visit Manitoba Hydro’s Power Smart site.