SINGAPORE – For the first time in Singapore, non-essential lights along Orchard Road went out simultaneously at 8.30pm on March 23 in support of the World Wide Fund for Nature’s Earth Hour Switch Off, which advocates for a climate-resilient planet.
The lights were switched off for an hour at 31 establishments in the iconic shopping precinct, including The Orchard Hotel, Shaw House, Tang Plaza, Ion Orchard, Ngee Ann City, Paragon, Mandarin Gallery, Hilton Singapore Orchard, 313@Somerset, Orchard Gateway, Centrepoint and Wheelock Place.
The WWF-Singapore Earth Hour Festival was held at Wisma Atria, a venue partner for the event, featuring thematic art performances, educational booths on climate change and talks by WWF-Singapore’s subject-matter experts. The countdown to the switch-off also took place there.
A total of more than 1,000 establishments participated in this year’s switch-off, according to WWF-Singapore.
Since the first Earth Hour was held in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, the lights-out initiative has become one of the world’s largest grassroots movements for the environment, involving people and organisations in more than 180 countries and territories.
In 2024, WWF-Singapore is urging people and businesses to continue supporting Earth Hour beyond the switch-off. The Hour Bank campaign encourages everyone to pledge an hour of their time to engage in an activity for the planet.
