Atlanta - 8pm March 29, 2008

It's the Night the Lights Will Go Out in Georgia

Atlanta Joins World Wildlife Fund's Global "Earth Hour" Event for Climate Change

City Officials and Corporate Partners Support International Historic Event on Saturday, March 29 at 8:00 pm

ATLANTA and WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 15, 2008 - World Wildlife Fund announced today the city of Atlanta has agreed to become an official supporting city of Earth Hour 2008 joining millions of people in more than 20 cities throughout the world in an event that makes a powerful statement on climate change by turning off non-essential lights for one hour.

On Saturday, March 29, 2008 from 8 to 9 pm local time, individuals, businesses, and local government officials throughout Atlanta will switch off their lights to demonstrate their concern and commitment to finding a solution to climate change. Cities taking part in this global event include Chicago, Phoenix and San Francisco in the US, along with Bangkok, Copenhagen, Manila, Tel Aviv, Sydney, Toronto and others. WWF officials said the goal of Earth Hour is to raise awareness of climate change and demonstrate how by working together, individuals can make a positive impact in the fight against this global issue.

"By taking part in Earth Hour 2008, Atlanta is sending a powerful message to the world that its citizens stand united with people across the globe in their concern about climate change and their commitment to finding solutions," said Carter Roberts, president and CEO of WWF-US. "We are pleased that Atlanta has agreed to take part in Earth Hour as a demonstration of the city's commitment to the environment and sustainability."

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin accepted WWF's invitation to represent the Eastern Time Zone of the US in Earth Hour 2008 as a way to complement the recently launched "Sustainable Atlanta" environmental initiative. Dozens of major landmark buildings in Downtown, Midtown, Atlantic Station and Buckhead will go dark in honor of the event---as will neighborhoods across the city.

Leading up to Saturday, March 29, WWF is working with a large cross-section of public and private entities to ensure their participation in the initiative. To help it plan and promote the event, WWF has partnered with Creaxion®, one of the city’s leading marketing firms. Along with Mayor Franklin, Creaxion President and CEO Mark Pettit has been named honorary co-chair of Earth Hour Atlanta.

A steering committee comprised of local business and civic leaders has been formed to ensure the success of Earth Hour Atlanta. The committee includes city officials, local police and fire departments, electrical utilities such as Georgia Power, and private and public organizations to coordinate logistics in Atlanta. While there are no specific energy reduction targets for this year's initiative in participating U.S. cities, Georgia Power will measure the drop in electricity use during the event, and will provide additional logistical support and assistance.

"I call on citizens and business leaders across Atlanta to support Earth Hour," said Mayor Franklin. "Once again, our great city will be a beacon of action and change for the rest of the world to see."

The event on March 29 is one step in ongoing efforts to fight climate change. To encourage longer term benefits, all participants are being asked to replace older light bulbs with highly-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, and to pledge to take actions to reduce their energy consumption on a daily basis.

WWF's corporate partners will not only pledge to turn off all non-essential lights, but will also identify ways to reduce energy usage, while broadly communicating their commitment.

WWF stresses the importance of celebrating Earth Hour in a safe and secure environment—and is asking people to turn off only non-essential lights for one hour. All lights impacting public safety will remain on, including street lights, and lights in public spaces, hospitals or emergency services remaining on for the duration of the event. More information about Earth Hour and ways to get involved can be found at www.EarthHour.org.

Earth Hour got its start last year in Sydney, Australia, when more than 2 million people and thousands of businesses turned out their lights. While power consumption dropped more than 10 percent in that single hour, the message that climate change must be slowed shone brightly.

Climate Change in the Southeast

Climate change is perhaps the most significant issue facing our planet today. We are beginning to witness dramatic effects from climate change—such as melting glaciers and frequent heat waves to increased intensity of hurricanes. In fact, the 10 hottest years on record have occurred since 1990—2006 was the hottest year yet.

It is with a strong sense of urgency and determination that the World Wildlife Fund is organizing Earth Hour around the world, and encouraging progressive cities such as Atlanta to participate. A supporting belief behind Earth Hour is that one person can make a difference, and cities coming together can change the world.

About WWF

For more than 45 years, WWF has been protecting the future of nature. The largest multinational conservation organization in the world, WWF works in 100 countries and is supported by 1.2 million members in the United States and close to 5 million globally. WWF's unique way of working combines global reach with a foundation in science, involves action at every level, from local to global, and ensures the delivery of innovative solutions that meet the needs of both people and nature. Go to www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

Press Contacts:
Dan Forman
World Wildlife Fund
202-778-9546
Dan.forman@wwfus.org

Jonathan Barnes
Creaxion
(404) 495-4444
jonathan@creaxion.com

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