HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

284

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 


HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 

 

RECOGNIZING EARTH HOUR BY encouraging the people of hawaii to turn off theIR lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., HAWAII STANDARD TIME, ON MARCH 28, 2009.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, the impact of climate change is an enormous threat to the condition of the planet and health of its inhabitants; and

 

     WHEREAS, Earth Hour is based on Eastern Standard Time, when it is evening in Hawaii, and will be observed on March 28, 2009, from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Hawaii Standard Time (HST), by millions of people around the globe who will be turning off their lights for one hour to make a bold statement about climate change; and

 

     WHEREAS, in the past, key landmark buildings such as the White House, United States (U.S.) Capitol, Governor's mansion, and State Capitol, were encouraged to participate; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 2008, this monumental unified call for action on climate change resulted in more than 50,000,000 people turning off their lights for Earth Hour; and

 

     WHEREAS, lights were turned off in the Empire State Building, Golden Gate Bridge, Coliseum in Rome, and Sydney Opera House, and Google's home page went dark for the day; and

 

     WHEREAS, hundreds of cities have agreed to participate in Earth Hour 2009, including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Sydney, and Hong Kong; and

 

     WHEREAS, turning off lights for Earth Hour will:


     (1)  Symbolically urge the U.S. Administration to lead global efforts to secure a strong new climate change treaty;

 

     (2)  Support global efforts to curb deforestation, the cause of nearly 20 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions worldwide;

 

     (3)  Support legislation to establish a cap-and-trade program to lower domestic greenhouse gas emissions and promote the establishment of a low-carbon economy through renewable energy sources and improved energy standards; and

 

     (4)  Encourage the development of a preparedness strategy to assess and cope with the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and agriculture in the U.S.;

 

and

 

     WHEREAS, the climate is changing rapidly and its impact on the environment is growing exponentially, thereby profoundly affecting current and future generations; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, the Senate concurring, that the Governor, the Mayor of each county, all government entities in Hawaii, and people of Hawaii are encouraged to turn off their lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. HST on March 28, 2009, in recognition of Earth Hour.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Earth Hour; March 28, 2009