“Turn off the light” today is not just the refrain of an old song by Nelly Furtado, but a real mantra for Italian citizens and city administrations.
As a matter of fact in Italy today many people and city administrations will join M’illumino di meno, an energy saving initiative promoted by the Italian radio show Caterpillar, which is now at its seventh edition.
M’illumino di meno invites municipalities, private companies, schools and regular citizens to join a moment of symbolic “energy silence”, by switching off the lights from 6 pm to 7.30 pm. The initiative was launched on 16 February 2005 when the Kyoto Protocol, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from developed nations, came into force.
Small towns and big cities will join the energy saving campaign by switching off the lights of city halls and monuments, while restaurants and cafes will organize special candle light dinners. In the past editions the Colosseum in Rome, the Cathedral in Milan and many other national buildings turned off the lights but other countries decided to join the initiative as well. Lights went out in Paris, London, Vienna, Athens and Dublin.
This year you can switch off the light and support the campaign. M’illumino di meno is a good opportunity to celebrate a belated Valentine’s Day or to organize an unconventional candlelight dinner or happy hour with your friends.
To learn more about the initiative: M’illumino di meno
