Earth Hour

What is Earth Hour?

Earth Hour is an annual international event created by the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature/World Wildlife Fund), held on the last Saturday of March, that asks households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change. It was pioneered by WWF Australia and the Sydney Morning Herald in 2007and achieved worldwide participation in 2008. 

BC CTV News: Earth Hour
 http://bc.ctvnews.ca/b-c-residents-pledge-to-power-down-for-earth-hour-1.1752296

Listening: Earth Hour

http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/0903/090326-earth_hour.mp3 

 I. Instructions: Click on the link to listen to the news.Decide if the statements below are True or False.

a.	Many buildings will be in darkness for an hour on March 28.	T / F
b.	Earth Hour is organized by the World Wildlife Fund.	T / F
c.	People can vote for who they want to save the Earth.	T / F
d.	Maybe one billion people will hear about Earth Hour.	T / F
e.	There are quite a few people who think Earth Hour will change little.	T / F
f.	A climate campaigner said the Titanic sank because of climate change.	T / F
g.	Earth Hour means the Earth will make a recovery by the next morning.	T / F
h.	An environmentalist said sitting in the dark is the best thing we can do.	T / F

II. Online Quiz: Click on the link below and try to put together the script for the listening.
If you give up, you can check the answer key below.

http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/0903/090326-earth_hour-t.htm


III. Instructions: Listen to the news and decide which word goes on which line.

Millions of buildings around the __________ will be dark for an hour on Saturday, March 28 as the third Earth Hour __________ place. The event is organized by the World Wildlife Fund. It started in 2007 as a way of drawing attention to the __________ of climate change. The Earth Hour website says: “For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, __________ and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their __________ – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming.” Organizers __________ their message will reach a billion people. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Earth Hour __________ to be “the largest demonstration of public concern about climate change __________ attempted”.		vote dangers ever globe promises race takes hope
Not everyone __________ that Earth Hour will help. Many see it as being too little, too __________ and that not much will change when the lights are switched back on. Climate campaigner Clive Hamilton says: "We are well past the time for __________ -good exercises aimed at raising awareness… It's like the band playing on as the Titanic __________.” He says the event is __________ because the next morning people will think the climate has recovered a little. "Symbolism is powerful if it __________ to action, but dangerous if it substitutes for it," he says. Environmentalist Mark Alexander-Warne agrees. He __________ the need to reduce our daily energy consumption, rather than __________ “sitting around in the dark” for an hour.		leads sinks late simply agrees feel stresses risky    http://busyteacher.org/13231-what-is-climate-change-video-activity.html