PRESS RELEASE BY GREENROCK
For more on Earth Hour 2020 from Greenrock, please click HERE.
For information on how you can participate from home, please click HERE.
For information on how your business can participate, please click HERE.
Share Your Participation with us: #EarthHourBDA2020 #TakeTimeToPause
Greenrock is spearheading local efforts to recognize Earth Hour on Saturday, March 28th from 8:30 – 9:30pm in the midst of growing concerns about the global impact of Covid-19. The way the global community is rallying together in an effort to halt the spread of what has now become a pandemic, is both admirable and proof that the capacity does exist to address global challenges, even at potentially great financial cost. Our value for life and our inherent regard for each other has united us and inspired courses of action we may have previously considered unthinkable. Global systems, industries, economies and multi-billion dollar enterprises are all slowing down drastically and in some cases being brought to a screeching halt.
Although we are all deeply saddened by the adverse effects associated with this phenomenon, Earth Hour is about inspiring climate action and as advocates, we are encouraged by the levels of commitment and determination currently on display. Unity is strength and by leveraging it we can achieve anything we put our minds to. At Greenrock we recognize that Climate Change needs to become more of a priority for the entire global community and, as a result, we are pleased to confirm that with assistance from Government, BELCO, Corporation of Hamilton, Corporation of St. Georges, WEDCO
and the Chamber of Commerce, participation in the symbolic “lights out” activity will take place in numerous locations throughout the island to show the world that Bermuda continues to support climate action.
The goal of our Earth Hour Campaign is to inspire action by celebrating achievements, whilst raising awareness about behaviours that lead to more sustainable practices in our everyday lives. In 2018 our Earth Hour campaign was focused on rallying for the elimination of single use plastics, and in 2019 the campaign raised awareness about energy efficiency. This year our focus is public engagement and we are asking the community to use Earth Hour as an opportunity to pause. Chairman of the Board, Eugene Dean said, “As we shut off all unnecessary lights at 8:30pm on Saturday, March 28th, let’s take time to pause, so that we can reflect on our contribution to Bermuda’s carbon footprint, and envision what our lives could look like living in harmony with each other and the environment. We are stewards of the earth and it is important for us to embrace this responsibility, lest our shortcomings and our failure to act appropriately will fall on the shoulders of future generations.”
Even as a small island our example can reach the four corners of the earth. Individually, we can inspire the people around us and collectively, we can influence the world. With that in mind, we encourage the entire community to support our campaign this year by turning off unnecessary lights during Earth Hour at your place of business and your home.
As a result of the precautions being taken to limit the potential threats associated with Covid-19, we have decided to focus our efforts this year on encouraging public participation through a comprehensive media campaign. We understand that hosting a public event such as our Annual Earth Hour Celebration this year would be socially irresponsible. Therefore, we are encouraging everyone to participate in Earth Hour both at work and at home. Taking time to pause during Earth Hour is something that we are all capable of doing. An hour without unnecessary lights, TVs, radios, computers, tablets or phones can create the ideal environment for reflection and visions of the future each of us would love to see. We are
thankful for the assistance of everyone involved with the Earth Hour Council and have included a few statements from participating organizations expressing their support.
Below are comments from a few members of the Earth Hour Council.
West End Development Corporation
West End Development Corporation is pleased to support Greenrock and their 2020 Earth Hour Initiative, asking the public to pause and reflect on their environmental footprint.
At WEDCO, our guiding mission is, “Facilitating Commerce while preserving history and developing our vested lands sustainably.” We recognize the weight of every decision we make, every development we undertake and every initiative we support. Our choices today have a direct impact on tomorrow and we, at WEDCO, want our legacy to be positive. We encourage the public to participate in this initiative as well, every day, and ask themselves, “How will my choices impact tomorrow? Will my choices support the legacy I desire? ”
We are very proud of the efforts our team continues to put into developing sustainably. Since our last opportunity to showcase our efforts:
- We have continued with our successful recycling program and have continued our efforts on increasing the number of
electric vehicles we can service at our recharge zone. - We have continued to successfully maintain our waste water treatment facility, which is a full tertiary treatment plant of world standard, and our Reverse Osmosis Plant, which produces 500,000 gallons per day.
- We have continued with our LED lighting program on all exterior lighting and will introduce a new electric train shuttle for
Dockyard guests this season. - We successfully installed and brought online the first three phases of our Solar Panel project. We are producing 520kw for internal usage, which makes WEDCO the largest producer on island of solar energy at this time.
In addition to these highlighted projects, we also pride ourselves on ensuring that each restoration project we commit to, we source materials that are made from renewable resources and environmentally friendly elements, furthering our commitment to sustainable development.
WEDCO’s Marketing & Events Manager, Stephanie Rodill adds, “Supporting Greenrock’s 2020 Earth Hour Initiative, was an easy decision for us as it is directly aligned with our principles. We urge everyone to fully support this initiative daily, but specifically during International Earth Hour between 8:30pm and 9:30pm on March 28, 2020, by turning off your lights and using the time to reflect on how you can reduce your footprint. Together we can make a difference.”
The Corporation of Hamilton
The City of Hamilton has long supported the global initiative known as Earth Hour. From hosting events at City Hall to having a presence on the Earth Hour Council, our commitment to Earth Hour’s mission remains constant. Over the last few years we have made concerted efforts to go a bit greener every year. We have paperless meetings, we introduced the first solar-powered, compacting public trash can, we have hydration stations around the City, and in 2019 we installed one of the largest solar panel projects in Hamilton that is exponentially reducing our energy costs. Our daily lives and how we conduct them are shifting right now, we are having to adapt to new measures and make sacrifices. The same philosophy should be mirrored in our consumption of energy. We all need to do our part to conserve and make the necessary changes in our daily routines to make our planet a healthier one. Our lives will be better for it.
The Corporation of St. George’s
The Corporation of St. George’s (CoSG) would like to inform the public that we will be participating in Earth Hour 2020 in conjunction with Greenrock. The CoSG has been an active participant in Earth Hour for the past few years. As a Town the CoSG must be selective in how we can participate in the initiative, we can not turn everything off, as we must ensure the safety of our residents and our visitors to the Town. The CoSG will turn off lights in the Town Square as well as on Ordnance Island as our participation on the evening.
The CoSG feels that Earth Hour is an important initiative for the community. It raises awareness for our impact on the Earth and it shows how small initiatives can grow to large movements. When Earth Hour began in 2007 in Australia, it was a small movement. In that time, it has spread to 7000 cities in 188 countries. As Greenrock’s slogan says, “Changing the mindset”, slowly mindsets are changing and now people are more cognizant of their impact on the Earth.
The CSG would like to encourage not only the residents of St. George’s to participate, but all of Bermuda to participate and play their part.
