Warwick plans Blackout for Earth Hour

Lights will be switched off in many of the buildings on Warwick University Campus on February 20 as part of Warwick University Blackout.

The event, which will last for approximately 3 hours, will start at 7pm, seeing lights being switched off in the Student Union HQ, in the learning grids and outside of accommodation, among other locations.

This will mark the first time that the University has taken part in Earth Hour, during which the public are encouraged to switch of their lights for one hour. This annual global event aims to raise awareness of energy consumption and its impact on the environment and climate change.

This year, Earth Hour occurs on 28 March, within the break between the spring and summer term, and so Warwick’s Blackout will be held earlier so that it falls within term time.

Earth Hour first began in 2007, involving over 2 million people and has since expanded, with 162 countries and hundreds of millions of people taking part.

As part of the evening, food stalls will be set up on the Piazza and a variety of performances will be showcased by student groups such as Warwick Salsa Society, Bollywood Dance Society, Classical Modern Dance and Warwick Glee.

Sonali Gidwani, head of Publicity for the Blackout, said: “We’re extremely excited to see the entire campus getting involved. Even if you’re not at the Piazza (and you should be!) you’ll be involved in some way as a building that you normally use will probably be switched off.

“We hope that the events on the piazza will be entertaining and successful, and if all goes well Warwick campus will be blacked out next year too!”

Riana Mahtani, Blackout co-ordinator, added: “I’m just excited to see the event grow incrementally each year. We’ve already shocked the university into thinking so hard about their lighting systems, there’s no chance we won’t save more and more energy each year. Let the blackout begin!”

Support for the event has also come from Isaac Leigh, the Students’ Union Societies officer, who stated: “It’s been an absolute pleasure to support such an innovative campaign!”

Dan Goss, Ethics and Environments officer commented: “It’s a mass party, not a mass protest – I love that!”