France: The Tour Eiffel turns its lights off for the planet

This evening, 23rd October, the Tour Eiffel will turn out its lights for 5 minutes to save the planet. The campaign, promoted by a collective of environmental organisations, will see the Parisian monument in darkness from 19:55 to 20:00.

The first edition of the ?5 minutes for the planet? campaign that was held on the 1st February 2006 was a great success. The ?Alliance for the planet?, a collective that brings together more than 70 environmental organisations, had asked French citizens to turn out their lights for 5 whole minutes.

The result? That the electricity company registered a fall in consumption that equalled 1% of the average total electricity consumption. That is to say the amount of electricity needed to serve a city the size of Marseilles. This same initiative has been copied by the States and Australia.

According to WWF France?s general director, Serge Orru, this years campaign has a very different objective. ?With this symbolic and concrete act, we aim to draw the attention of decision makers? says Orru. Daniel Richard, WWF?s French president, added that: ?It is about asking for concrete and ambitious actions to reduce the impact on the environment?.

The Alliance for the planet also asked the French people to change at least one of their traditional household lightbulbs with one that is low energy consuming to highlight that saving energy is the first step in the battle against climate change.

The iniziative coincides with the final stages of the Grenelles meetings taking place between the State and civil society organisations that aims to formulate 15-20 proposals in favour of sustainable development.

More info:
www.5minutespourlaplanete.org