Centrepoint Tower

So, what’s Earth Hour?

Earth Hour was created to take a stand against the greatest threat our planet has ever faced, Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour to deliver a powerful message about the need for action on global warming.

From smh.com.au:

Sydney embraced its second Earth Hour tonight, as hundreds of thousands of citizens turned off their lights across the city between 8 and 9pm to make a statement against climate change.

Most skyscrapers in the CBD were darkened, though if the groups gathered in harbourside parks were expecting a sudden blackout, they would have been disappointed - the majority of high-rise buildings had flicked the switch before 8pm.

The Harbour Bridge was a couple of minutes late in joining Earth Hour, but all non-essential lights were shut down by its chief electrician Justin McInerney by about 8.05pm.

By 8.15pm, only a handful of electronic signs and a sprinkling of apartments still appeared brightly lit around the central city, although Star City Casino defied Earth Hour for “operational reasons” and continued to power its thousands of bulbs.

More than 370 locations around the world joined Earth Hour this year after Sydney pioneered the event in 2007.

Sparklers in Hyde Park

I took my camera out last night across the eastern fringe of the CBD, and whilst an effort had been made by some businesses, I still feel that many couldn’t care less. Many floors in the MLC Centre still illuminated and Oxford Street not looking any different at all, so much so I didn’t even take any photos. However, like last year, the famous Coca-Cola sign at the top of William Street, Kings Cross was turned off. Yet, walking past the St. James Hotel on Castlereagh Street - its lights all blazing, I almost felt inclined to go inside and find the manager.

View the full photo set.