A dark hour enlightens
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| Standing behind the melting block of ice are, from left,Tony Frost (president of Stellenbosch Rotary Club), Candice Adams (WWF Stellenbosch), Seranti Viljoen (co-ordinator of the Stellenbosch Earth Hour dinner) Elsabe and John Daneel of Daneel Diamond Manufacturers who donated the diamond which was sold for R10 000 on a silent auction to Niel Ellis. |
Earth Hour, an international campaign to raise awareness for climate change, was celebrated throughout the world on Saturday, when lights were switched off for an hour between 8.30pm and 9.30pm as a symbolic act to send a powerful message to leaders of the world that the time to act on climate change is now.
In support of this initiative, Stellenbosch University switched off the lights around Marais Plain (“Rooiplein”), and various hostels also held events hosted by candlelight. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) facilitates Earth Hour internationally and is this year challenging individuals to take the lead by pledging to reduce their own carbon footprint.
“The difference with Earth Hour this year,” explains Carolyn Cramer from WWF South Africa, “is that we are asking people to not only commit to one hour of darkness, but to further commit to a lifestyle change.”
WWF, the Stellenbosch Municipality and Rotary also collaborated to host a street event in Stellenbosch, where restaurants placed tables in certain closed streets and patrons could dine by candle-light.
Part of the festivities was also a large, melting block of ice, representing the impact of global heating in the polar regions – and guests took part in an auction to win a diamond imbedded in the ice.
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