Power down at work and home for Earth Hour.

Take part in Earth Hour 2019 and help us in shine a light on climate change.  Take the pledge and join millions of people around the world in powering down lights and electronics for one hour on Saturday, March 30 from 8:30 – 9:30PM local time.

Power Down at the College

Red River College is powering down for Earth Hour and we need your help. Non-essential lights will be turned off during the hour, and we ask that before you leave for the weekend you shut down your computers, unplug unnecessary electronics and turn off your lights.

Pledge to Power Down at Home (and Win)

Take the Earth Hour Pledg

Because Earth Hour is on the weekend, we can make a bigger impact if members of our College community pledge to power down at home. This year, all staff, students and faculty who take the pledge will be entered to win a Earth Hour Prize pack: Enjoy a candlelit game night with friends or family with a board game, handmade candles and some delicious sustainable snacks.

The pledge form is now closed. Thank you to everyone who pledged!

Participating in Earth Hour is not only a great way to show your support for a global initiative that is working to mitigate climate change, it really highlights how dependent we are on electricity by challenging us to find fun things to do without it! Some ideas of things you can do include:

• Play board games by candlelight
• Organize a candlelit (or no light) walk in your neighbourhood
• Go stargazing
• Host a sing-a-long with or without acoustic instruments
• Invite friends for a candlelit potluck

Power Down Year Round

Earth Hour is a symbolic event that sheds a light on a more serious issue. Our dependence on electricity and electronics is part of the problem leading to climate change.

Did you know that the College spends over half a million dollars annually to run lights and products plugged into AC outlets? Powering down lights and electronics when possible can make a big difference!

Below are some tips for how you can reduce your load at the College:

• Turn the lights off when you leave a room
• Power down before every weekend and holiday – set a reminder in your calendar or put a sticky note on the door to help remember
• Unplug battery chargers once your device is fully charged
• Unplug non-essential electronics when not in use: i.e. toasters, kettles, etc. – these items still use electricity even when turned off
• Keep another sweater at your workspace instead of using a space heater
• Learn more about what the College is doing to reduce plug load energy consumption on Campus.

For tips on reducing your energy use at home, as well as information on rebates and other incentives visit Manitoba Hydro’s site.