The world is about to go dark. Earth Hour is a global environmental initiative in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) that encourages businesses, governments and communities to turn their lights off for one hour on March 23 at 8:30 p.m. Flipping the switch is a symbolic gesture of one’s commitment to sustain the environment.
Popular musicians from around the world are taking action and getting involved. They are wielding the uniting power of music to inspire people with Earth Hour — even after this year’s Earth Hour has passed.
David Guetta and Usher solidified their commitment to Earth Hour when their single, “Without You,” became the anthem for the official Earth Hour 2013 video.
Other artists including Coldplay, Nelly Furtado and The Temper Trap are also vehement advocates for the cause and actively spread awareness for Earth Hour.
Andy Ridley, CEO of Earth Hour, says, “The big difference from when we started in 2007 and now, is that the extreme effects on our environment are being seen in the daily lives of people all over the world. Musicians help us bring a far greater audience to the table to engage in the challenges that face our planet.”
Global artists have since joined in the mix and mobilized their fan bases in creative and engaging ways. UK pop band, McFly, wore panda “onesies” (a symbol of the WWF) and filmed their own version of the “Harlem Shake” to promote Earth Hour.
Swedish hip-hop artist Lazee is participating in the “I Will If You Will” campaign — a movement that commits individuals to taking positive action for the environment beyond Earth Hour. Lazee has promised to wear pink shoes, socks up to his knees, and pants up to his armpits for 24 hours if his colleagues give up their extravagant limos, cars, and taxis for public transportation for a month. Click here to join in and submit your “I Will If You Will” promise on YouTube.
Ridley says that the movement has always been about street party–not street protest. This philosophy helped Earth Hour grow from one city participating in 2007 to thousands of cities in 152 counties across every continent involving hundreds of millions of people.
Harmonize with your favorite musicians by remembering to go dark on March 23.