Event Details — Houston will participate in worldwide Earth Hour event

Houston will join over 1,430 cities and towns in 80 countries to participate in the Earth Hour celebration, in which an estimated 1 billion people throughout the world will turn off their lights and conserve energy for one hour. The event will happen on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm, Houston time.

This will be the first year that Houston participates in Earth Hour, and the city encourages everyone who can to participate.

The City of Houston's Office of Health and Environmental Policy notes that security lighting, any obstruction lighting, emergency lighting, and lights in occupied offices will remain lit.

In April, Houston also will have its own Lights Out Houston event to raise awareness and increase participation in energy conservation measures.