Aboitiz, city, eco group partner for Earth Hour

The Aboitiz Group is taking a step higher in its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint by partnering with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Cebu city government in celebrating Earth Hour 2012.

Tomorrow, March 31, the Aboitiz Group and its partners will join the rest of the country and the world in shutting off lights, from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., to conserve energy and lessen carbon dioxide emissions for at least an hour.

In line with this year’s Earth Hour theme “Uniting Filipinos to Protect the Planet,” the WWF will present a live streaming broadcast of the other Earth Hour activities taking place in Manila and Davao. It will also show video messages of President Benigno Aquino III and international leaders of WWF.

Before lights will be shut off, Earth Hour co-founder Andy Ridley will deliver his keynote message, which will also be shown through live streaming.

Activities in Cebu will kick off with essay-writing and poster-making contests among high school and college students at The Persimmon Plus in barangay Mabolo, Cebu City. There will also be an eco-bazaar that will display recycled products and organic food.

At 5:30 p.m., Aboitiz Group team members and residents of Cebu City’s 80 barangays will walk from the Fuente Osmeña to the Plaza Independencia in support of the environmental initiatives.

Aboitiz Group president and chief executive officer Erramon Aboitiz will lead group executives in the shut-off ceremony. He will be joined by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, Miss Earth 2008 Karla Henry, Miss Cebu 2012 Pierre Anther Infante and her court and WWF representatives.