Power drops for Earth Hour
TWEED Heads has performed much better in Earth Hour this year recording a 3.5% drop in electricity usage compared to last year's rise of 0.1%.
While it appears Tweed residents embraced the international phenomenon more seriously on Saturday, some regional centres weren't as enthusiastic.
Lismore recorded a drop of just 1.2%, up on last year's drop of 5%.
Essential Energy regional general manager for the north coast Brian McLean said any decreases were a fantastic result.
"It shows the commitment of local communities to the environment, while sending a clear message that individual actions can make a difference beyond the hour of the international event," Mr McLean said.
He said it was time for people to apply the energy saving actions of Earth Hour to everyday living.
"This popular global event has shown that switching off appliances such as televisions and computers, along with unnecessary lights, can make a difference to the amount of power being used," Mr McLean said.
"Energy efficiency isn't just about switching off lights and appliances for an hour, it's about ongoing actions that will help to minimise the carbon footprints of everyone and make a change for the better."
Earth Hour is an initiative of the World Wildlife Fund, encouraging residents and businesses to turn off their lights and energy-consuming devices for one hour once a year.
It began in Sydney in 2007 and is now recognised as the largest community environmental awareness campaign in the world engaging more than one billion people last year.
