BY SARA KEDDY
Kings County Register
It may be the ”night the lights go out in Berwick,” but no one will be sitting in the dark alone.
The social justice cell of the Anglican Parish of Berwick and Aylesford has asked Berwick to proclaim and take part in Earth Hour Day March 29, a day when communities and cities around the world will encourage their citizens to turn out their lights for just an hour as a message in support of the need to care for the planet.
“Municipalities can lead by example,” spokeswoman Deborah Lonergan Freake said to Berwick councillors during a presentation to gain their support. “Unless you’re working overtime, you won’t need lights” in town-owned buildings such as the town hall and public works buildings.
“That can be a powerful message to businesses and the community – our fossil fuel use is contributing to climate change.”
The Anglican parish has signed on to Kairos’ commitment to the project in Canada. It’s a group of 11 national faith organizations backing the international “Turn out the lights! A celebration of Earth Hour.”
Everyone taking part in the campaign will turn off their lights at 8 p.m. local time March 29.
“It’s a message to our governments we need immediate action to stop climate change,” Lonergan Freake said. In 2007, more than two million people and businesses did just that in Sydney, Australia alone. The World Wildlife Fund is taking the project to an international level this year.
“We hope the Town of Berwick will join the globe.”
Mayor John Prall said the town would make the proclamation and post it in the town hall, and also do its part to turn off lights, “except for those required for public safety.
“I ran it by our electric utility’s superintendent and it can be done. He said it would be the “night the lights went out in Berwick’.”
“They’ll be out al over the world,” Lonergan Freake responded.
WEBLINKS
www.kairoscanada.ca
Don’t be alone in the dark
To mark Earth Hour, the Anglican Parish of Berwick and Aylesford will host a non-denominational candlelight worship service at Christ Church Berwick Saturday, March 29 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Everyone is invited.
