A Sea to Sky Earth Hour competition on Saturday (March 26) - to see which town can save the most power between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. - is officially on. Squamish residents who turn out their lights to reduce electricity consumption during Earth Hour will not only join a projected 1 billion people around the world showing support for climate change solutions, but will help put Squamish ahead of Whistler and Pemberton in an energy reduction showdown.
After Pemberton ranked as B.C.'s second-highest energy reducing community in 2009, Pemberton Coun. Lisa Ames issued a challenge to other corridor communities to shut off all electrical devices for one hour and reduce energy consumption by five per cent during Earth Hour 2010.
When the results came in, Pemberton had won with a 3.4 per cent reduction and Whistler placed second with a 3.2 per cent reduction, with Squamish pulling up the rear at just 2.5 per cent.
However, despite losing last year's Sea to Sky competition, Squamish placed a respectable 15th out of 71 communities competing province-wide.
This year, in response to new challenges issued by both Pemberton and Whistler - that all three towns aim for a five per cent reduction in electricity usage - the District of Squamish (DOS) has stepped up its game and is asking all Squamish residents to do the same.
The DOS has pledged to turn off computers and monitors, to turn offor dim as manynon-essential lights as safelypossible, to unplug coffee makers, kettles, microwaves, portable heaters and cell phone chargers, and to set refrigerators to one setting warmer than normal.
In addition, Brennan Park Recreation Centre will turn off HVAC in the rooms not in use, and will adjust the ice plant to 2 degrees F warmer for the hour.
Squamish residents can participate by turning offlights and unplugging appliances that require electricity.
For more information on the DOS commitment to Earth Hour, visit www.squamish.ca/node/1000.
Learn about the movement towards clean energy at www.earthhourcanada.org.
