It all started in 2007 with a question: "How can we inspire people to take action on climate change?" By participating in Earth Hour 2008, each of us can be a part of demonstrating the impact that an individual can have. Last year on March 31, 2007 2.2 million people and 2100 businesses in Sydney turned off their lights for one hour - EARTH HOUR. For that hour Sydney's energy consumption was reduced by 10.2%, which is estimated to be the equivalent of taking 48,000 cars off of the road for one year. This year, Earth Hour is being held on March 29th, from 8pm to 9pm local time. Cities, communities and businesses around the world have registered to participate. Some participating cities include: Atlanta, Bangkok, Canberra, Chicago, Christchurch, Copenhagen, Dublin, Manila, Melbourne, Montreal, Ottawa, Perth, Phoenix, San Francisco, Sydney, Tel Aviv, Toronto and Vancouver.

Explorer Ventures is committed to proactive environmental efforts, and will be participating in this years' Earth Hour. Each vessel in the Explorer Ventures fleet in the Caribbean, Bahamas and Australia will turn off as many lights as possible on Saturday, March 29 at 8pm until 9pm. This will allow guests to enjoy and appreciate the beautiful night sky found only while on the ocean. Explorer Ventures is also encouraging its' guests on these trips to share their perspective and experiences during this worldwide event.

To learn more about Earth Hour, visit their website www.earthhour.org. Find out more about Explorer Ventures' environmental initiative by visiting their website at www.explorerventures.com. Comments and suggestions can be made by emailing Ariana Arcenas, Environmental Initiatives Coordinator, at [email protected].