How your business can support Earth Hour 2008

At 8 p.m. on March 29, 2008, cities across the world will turn off their lights for one hour sending a powerful global message that it’s possible to take action on global warming.

There are many ways business can support Earth Hour in 2008, from turning out the lights in buildings on the night through to communicating Earth Hour messaging and emissions targets to customers, tenants, partners and clients, to contributing financially.

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MORE:Make Earth Hour Happen In Your Town

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The following information includes various levels of commitment to Earth Hour.

1. Turn out lights at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 29, 2008
   Turn out the lights in your buildings, facilities and signage for one hour at 8pm on Saturday 29 March 2008.
   For larger buildings, the facilities and building managers need to manage the logistics of switching off non-essential lighting for Earth Hour – including neon lights – in and around your properties.
2. Communicate Earth Hour to tenants
   For leased properties, building owners need to communicate with tenants regarding turning their lights off for one hour for Earth Hour at 8 p.m. on March 29, 2008.
   Examples of communication in 2007 included: email bulletins, SMS, flyers/letters, on-site posters.
3. Communicate Earth Hour to partners, clients, suppliers and other networks
   Provide information about Earth Hour to partners, clients, suppliers and other organisations that your business works with on a regular basis.
4. Communicate Earth Hour to your other offices nationally and globally
   Talk to your offices in other cities and regions in Australia, and around the world, about Earth Hour and what your business is doing to support it in 2008, encourage organisation-wide participation.
5. Communicate Earth Hour to your staff
   Business support for Earth Hour is about every level of your organisation becoming involved, from CEO and Board members through to administrative staff.
   Communicate Earth Hour to all staff using email and other newsletters, posters, intranet, SMS, website, staff associations and committees.
   Encourage staff, colleagues and their families to take part in Earth Hour on 29 March and commit to long-term emissions reductions both in the workplace and at home.
6. Communicate long-term Earth Hour goals
   Earth Hour is not just about one hour, it’s about making long-term changes to the way we use electricity and water both in the workplace and at home.
   When communicating with tenants, customers, other offices and staff, be sure to include secondary messaging regarding emissions reductions (especially lighting), see section 12) below and visit earthhour.org.
7. Communicate Earth Hour to your Customers
   Communicate Earth Hour to your customers, encourage them to take part in Earth Hour on March 29 and commit to long-term emissions reductions.
• Include a link to the Earth Hour website/rebadge you homepage/host an Earth Hour banner on your homepage (downloadable from the Earth Hour website)
• Include Earth Hour in any email or SMS bulletins you send to customers
• Include Earth Hour messages on bills/statements/catalogues/other printed material you send to customers
• Promote Earth Hour in stores/branches/terminals/foyers/stadiums/shopping centres
• Run joint promotions in the lead-up to Earth Hour
• Does your business have video screens, radio or other broadcast services where you can run Earth Hour TVC, radio ad or a logo frame/slide?
• Are there other ways you can spread the Earth Hour message through your facilities, services, products and channel?
8. Communicate Earth Hour to the general public using advertising and other channels
   Support Earth Hour by donating advertising space or by running your own Earth Hour advertising product in the two-week lead-up to March 29.
   Modify existing Earth Hour advertising product – print, radio, TV, outdoor and online advertising – to include your brand and specific Earth Hour message. Or create new product.
   Earth Hour can supply existing artwork for modification and logos.
   If your business owns or regularly rents media space, Earth Hour can provide artwork in most formats to specifications.
   Contact your advertising and media buying agencies to plan how your business can spread the Earth Hour word by contributing advertising space and product.
9. Distribute Earth Hour poster and postcard
   Earth Hour uses two promotional products to promote the Earth Hour message to members of the public: the Earth Hour A2 poster and the Earth Hour postcard.
   Does your business have facilities/distribution channels/shopfronts which can be used to distribute Earth Hour posters and postcards?
   Can you insert the Earth Hour postcard into your magazine, place it in airport terminals or upon cinema seats, hand it to customers, place it on counters or in foyers, letterbox drop it to residents and customers?
   Contact the WWF Brand Manager on (02) 9281 5515 for copies for distribution.
10. Direct support for Earth Hour
    
    Provide volunteers for Earth Hour In the lead-up to March 29, Earth Hour needs volunteers to help deliver the Earth Hour message and hand out Earth Hour postcards to the general public.
    Does your business have a volunteer program and would you like to hear more about volunteer opportunities for Earth Hour during March 2008?
11. Communicate your emissions targets
    In its first year, Earth Hour set a target for Sydney to reduce its emissions by 5%. This could be achieved by turning off lights when not in use and taking appliances like computers and printers off standby when not in use.
    Since then, many businesses have assessed the emissions of their business activities and set targets – short and long term – for the reduction of these emissions over time.
    How much carbon dioxide does your business activity emit? Has your business set emissions reduction targets? What is your business doing to achieve these reductions?
    Earth Hour is about communicating your emissions targets and the steps your business is taking to achieve them.
12. Make change an everyday part of your business
    If you’ve assessed the emissions of your business activity you’ll be aware that the simple changes, that are the secondary aim of Earth Hour, are achievable.
    Turning off lights after hours or installing motion-sensor lighting. Turning off printers, computers, monitors, microwaves and coffee machines at the powerpoint at the end of the working day. Switching your organisation’s electricity to Green Power. These are just some of the ways your business can start to reduce emissions today.
    Visit earthhour.org for information and case studies on how business is reducing emissions through simple changes in the workplace.
    Involve your staff in everyday change Elect Earth Hour Monitors for your organisation, whose job it is to ensure lights are out and appliances are off standby at the end of each working day.
13. Sign up your business at earthhour.org
    Show your support for Earth Hour by signing up your business at earthhour.org. It’s free and we’ll send you regular Earth Hour updates and information.
14. Tell us what your business is doing for Earth Hour
    Earth Hour has many opportunities to feature what your business is doing to support the initiative, from media and PR through to the Earth Hour website and email bulletins.
    Contact WWF PR Team on (02) 9281 5515 to discuss potential promotional opportunities for your business.

For further information on business commitment and support, visit earthhour.org