Back in October, I participated in "Lights Out LA," an evening that I hoped would be a momentous tribute to energy conservation and awareness by turning all non-essential lighting off for one hour. We waited anxiously to see if the rest of our neighborhood would go dark, but from our vantage point up on a hill in Silverlake, we saw that we were perhaps the only people within a half mile radius that were standing in our living room lit only by candles. Though Los Angeles might not exactly be the mecca of environmental awareness I would like it to be, I have higher hopes for the rest of the world.

So it is with much anticipation that I look forward to this Saturday's Earth Hour...

EARTH HOUR 2008

By turning off your non-essential (read: emergency lights and lights for safety) lighting for one hour starting at 8pm on March 29th, 24 global cities will participate in what is the highlight of a major campaign to...

"encourage businesses, communities and individuals to take the simple steps needed to cut their emissions on an ongoing basis. It is about simple changes that will collectively make a difference – from businesses turning off their lights when their offices are empty, to households turning off appliances rather than leaving them on standby.

See what a difference an hour can make by joining hundreds of thousands of people for Earth Hour!