Glasgow Commonwealth Games stadiums join iconic landmarks for Earth Hour
It’s an extraordinary annual event that focuses the world’s attention on our amazing planet, and the steps we need to take to protect it.
Venues across Glasgow, which will feature in the Commonwealth Games, are set to be plunged into darkness later this month as part of a global campaign to highlight climate change.
Organisers of the Commonwealth Games will be switching off the lights at Commonwealth House HQ while Glasgow Life will be flicking the switch off at the Emirates Arena and the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in honour of Earth Hour.
Earth Hour, organised by conservation charity WWF, will see buildings and iconic landmarks across Scotland turn off electricity at 8.30pm on Saturday 29 March. They will join hundreds landmarks in countries around the world in a graphic demonstration of support for people and wildlife threatened by climate change.
David Grevemberg, chief executive of Glasgow 2014, said sustainability is a key factor in how this year’s games would operate.
“It is about making both a positive and innovative impact where and when we can,” he said.
“Our current transformation of Hampden Park to a temporary athletics stadium, which involves raising the surface on an innovative base of thousands of steel posts rather than with an infill of tonnes of solid material, is one such example of our commitment in this area.”
Scottish cycling champion, and games’ hopeful, Callum Skinner, backed the hour too.
He said: “Cycling gets you fit and getting on your bike for shorter journeys helps cut pollution. I’m delighted Glasgow 2014 is getting behind WWF’s Earth Hour.”
This year other landmarks to turn off the lights include Edinburgh Castle, the Forth Rail Bridge, the Royal Yacht Britannia and Glasgow Cathedral.
They will join the likes of Beijing National Stadium (Bird’s Nest), the Great Wall of China and Christ the Redeemer statue Rio de Janeiro in going dark.
Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland added: “It’s an extraordinary annual event that focuses the world’s attention on our amazing planet, and the steps we need to take to protect it.”
