THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY PALLONE, BRIGGS, BISHOP, BOBACK, BRENNAN, BURNS, CALTAGIRONE, DePASQUALE, DONATUCCI, FABRIZIO, FRANKEL, GEORGE, HORNAMAN, JOSEPHS, KORTZ, KOTIK, McCALL, MUNDY, PASHINSKI, PAYNE, QUIGLEY, QUINN, READSHAW, SAINATO, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, K. SMITH, M. SMITH, SWANGER AND WALKO, MARCH 13, 2009

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, MARCH 13, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

Designating 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, 2009,

as "Earth Hour" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, "Earth Hour" was launched in Sydney, Australia, in

2007, when more than 2 million homes and businesses, as a

statement of concern regarding the impact of climate change and

global warming, turned off their lights for one hour; and

WHEREAS, In 2008, "Earth Hour" became a worldwide initiative

as more than 400 cities and more than 50 million people around

the globe turned off their lights for that designated hour; and

WHEREAS, Included in this effort were such notable landmarks

as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, the Sydney Opera House in

Australia, the Wat Arun Buddhist Temple in Bangkok, Thailand,

the Coliseum in Rome, Italy and the Golden Gate Bridge in San

Francisco, California; and

WHEREAS, "Earth Hour" 2009 is going to be an opportunity to

"Vote Earth" with a goal of having more than 1 billion people

turn off their lights, signifying that 1 billion people on the

planet, regardless of where they live, are willing to take a

stand and be counted in the effort to reduce the consequences of

climate change, improving the earth for future generations; and

WHEREAS, At present, more than 70 countries and hundreds of

cities, community organizations, businesses and homes have

pledged to participate in "Earth Hour" 2009, sending a clear

message to their leaders that they want them to join with other

world leaders to develop a strategy to address the impact of

climate change when they meet in Copenhagen, Denmark, later this

year for the 2009 Global Climate Change Conference; therefore be

it

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly designate the hour of

8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, 2009, as "Earth

Hour" in Pennsylvania; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the people, governmental and commercial

entities of this Commonwealth actively participate in "Earth

Hour" 2009 and "Vote Earth" by turning out their lights for that

one hour on Saturday, March 28, 2009.