The results are in!

Earth Hour would like to congratulate everyone who turned off their lights in March 29. Every light counts, and without the support of individuals, Earth Hour would not be the global success it has been.

It has been one month since millions switched off the lights for Earth Hour. The first international Earth Hour was overpoweringly successful. One month ago today, cities from Chicago to Copenhagen, Tel Aviv to Toronto and San Francisco to Sydney went dark to shed light on the dangers of climate change. By switching off, individuals across the globe have illuminated one of the most urgent issues facing our planet.

Polling by AMR Interactive showed that 58 per cent of Australian adults in capital cities took part in the lights off campaign that started in Sydney last year. The research also showed that respondents participated in Earth Hour in a number of ways including turning off the lights at home (56%), turning off some household appliances (46%), and taking the mobile phone off charger off standby (37%).

"The overwhelming support for Earth Hour from Australians across the country has amazed us and shows the willingness of both business and individuals to start cutting emissions," said WWF Earth Hour Director, Andy Ridley.

Internationally, 28 international Earth Hour flagship cities in 10 countries participated across the globe. 370 supporting cities and towns, that we know of, around the world made Earth Hour the largest voluntary power down event in history.

Earth Hour demonstrates the ways in which individuals can collectively make a huge impact on overwhelming problems like climate change. Through incorporating simple sustainable solutions in your everyday life, the mission of Earth Hour can be achieved every hour of every day.

Visit earthhour.org for more information about how you can make energy savings everyday.

Top 10 Earth Hour Events

10. Hilary Alan: planned a candle-lit tea party by the water at Port Phillip Bay in Victoria.

9. Laura Dean: organized an Earth Hour beach party at Avalon, New South Wales, featuring several bands, a "Green Expo" beforehand, solar powered amps and torch lighting.

8. Agnes Radvanyi: played hide and seek in the dark with her children and explored eerie parts of their rural home.

7. Michele Barnes: celebrated with a kick of the footy, a picnic tea, candles all around the Bellbrae reserve made by the children. Later, guests went for a candlelit walk through the reserve.

6. Gourmet Blokes: hosted a cooking class featuring Greek cuisine during the hour at a sustainable Bed and Breakfast Amande.

5. Anni Coyne: organised a singing event with her choir to fundraise and raise awareness for Earth Hour. Earth-themed and original songs written for the occasion were sung.

4. Kim and Wendy Muffet: Owners of Taroona Farm in NSW, the pair organised an eco-friendly dinner for the hour, complete with wrought-iron candelabra in the middle of a paddock.

3. Katrina Bendtsen: 12-year-old Katrina and her family read Andy Griffiths books by candlelight and improved their own jokes to enjoy the hour together.

2. Adelaide Central YHA: Aboriginal performer Carroll Karpany entertained with a variety of stories, didgeridoo playing, guitar, singing and flute. The organisers screened Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" and left the lights off - as requested by the many guests who were enjoying the atmosphere.

1. Karen Proudma: The appropriately named mother of Marley, 9, who formed the "Earth Hour Police" with his friend Vincent, 10. The boys spent the hour going door to door politely asking their neighbours to participate and switch off.

Save the date: Earth Hour 2009

With the tremendous success of Earth Hour 2008 behind us, 2009 looks to be even bigger and better. More and more cities, towns and councils are expressing interest in next year already and we couldn’t be more excited. The official date for Earth Hour 2009 is:

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Mark your calendars, and prepare to see your world in a whole new light… again.

Save our threatened species

Leading the pack in mammal extinction rates, native Australian species have a massive problem. Nearly 40 per cent of mammal extinctions globally in the last 200 years have occurred in Australia.

Most Australian species are unique to the continent, and extinction here means extinction globally. The major factors in driving Australia's shocking extinction record are habitat destruction and alteration, invasive species and altered fire regimes. These factors are a result of human presence in these creatures’ natural habitats. Help us reverse the effects of human depletion of natural resources and preserve their (and our) environment through combating climate change by learning more.

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