Veco: Demand down by 18.32 MW during Earth Hour
Lighted candles form “60+ Earth Hour” at the SM parking lot where a shadow dance is mounted. (CDN PHOTO/ TONEE DESPOJO)
The moon and stars could be seen more clearly outside SM City last night as the mall switched off all external lights in observance of Earth Hour 2015.
Hundreds gathered at the the parking lot in front of the Northwing for the one-hour switch-off at 8:30 p.m.
Festive tribal music roared and fire dancers entertained the audience for the next few minutes. Knapsack Dancer performed along with a shadow dance cast.
On the ground, candles in paper cups formed “60+ Earth Hour SM Cebu.”
SM unveiled yesterday new bike racks in the parking lot.
At the Cebu I.T. Park , at least 5,000 bicycle riders joined the night ride through main roads of the city.
Outside the mall, new bicycle racks are unveiled with Cebu City Councilors Nida Cabrera and Nestor Archival. (CDN PHOTO/ TONEE DESPOJO)
About 5,000 bicycle enthusiasts gather for the start of the Earth Hour Night Ride at the Cebu IT Park.
(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
According to Risa Coloyan, Veco supervisor of reputation management division.
As of 8:30 p.m. power demand in Metro Cebu was 304.43 megawatts (MW) and dipped to 286.11 MW at the end of Earth Hour or a difference of 18.32 MW.
Last year, Veco only saved 1.9 MW, the lowest the firm saved from Earth Hour in six years.
Earth Hour was first celebrated on March 31, 2007 in Sydney, Australia with 2.2 million participants.
A giant plug and outlet signal the 8:30 p.m. switch off for Earth Hour with Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama Councilors Margot Osmena, Nida Cabrera and Nestor Archival and Sherry Tuvilla, SM regional operation manager in a cermeony at the mall.
(CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
Since then, it has grown to engage more nations in a global campaign to spread awareness on climate change and environmental conservation . Over 7 billion participate in the event.
The theme for this year’s Earth Hour celebration is “Change Climate Change.”
Cebu first began celebrating Earth Hour in 2009 and has since saved an average of 8 MW over the years.
Present during the switch-off ceremony last night were Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, City Councilors Margarita Osmeña, Ma. Nida Cabrera, Nestor Archival Sr., and Alvin Dizon, among others.
Archival, a known environmental advocate, said that 16 million Filipinos out of 100 million presently do not have access to electricity.
With an average of 8 MW saved from each Earth Hour activity every year, the homes of 266 families would have been given power for one whole month, he said.
Mayor Rama, on the other hand, said that the extinction of mankind would be the consequence if people ignore the threat of global warming, climate change, and much of environmental degradation.
“If we will not do it now, when? And if it is not us, who?” he asked.