KhaleejTimes.com went 'dark' for Earth Hour; what did you do?

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KhaleejTimes.com went dark for Earth Hour; what did you do?

Volunteers release a lantern during Earth Hour celebrations in Indonesia in March last year.

Dubai - We bring you some tips that can help you save energy and slash electricity bills.

By Team Digital

Published: Mon 27 Mar 2017, 12:07 AM

As the world celebrated Earth Hour by switching off all non-essential lights on March 25, 2017, Khaleej Times acknowledged this initiative by having its website go "dark" for one hour.
As some of you saw and appreciated, between 8.30pm and 9.30pm on Saturday, the site sported a dark background instead of the usual white, reflecting our support for the Earth Hour.

The staff at KhaleejTimes.com have also undertaken to switch off all non-essential lights in our homes and office during the hour, and to be energy-conscious at all times, and not just for one hour in a year.

Khaleej Times encourages its audience to adopt energy-saving practices in their daily lives. We bring you some tips that can help you save energy while, at the same time, slash your electricity bills.

1. Cooling appliances

While using an air conditioner, keep the thermostat set at 24°F, or higher, and on "auto", not "on". This can help you save up to 9 per cent cooling cost. If your AC is over 10 years old, consider replacing it as the older ones double the cooling cost. When not in use, turn it off and use fans if the temperatures are not unbearable. Exhaust fans can also be used in kitchens and bathrooms to save energy.

2. Judicious use of lights

Turn off lights when not needed. Making use of natural light during the day is a very good means of saving on your electricity bill. Induction lamps and LEDs can be used for outdoor lighting, and LED, CFL light lamps and T5 fluorescent light tubes for indoor lighting. They often last longer and are more efficient.

3. Savings in the kitchen

Using electric fry pans, toaster ovens and other small cooking appliances can save energy. Also, try cooking more than one item at a time when using an oven.

4. Refrigeration/Freezing

Since the refrigerator is in use all year round in this country, adopting a few measures can reduce your power bill. Some of these include keeping refrigerator temperature at 38°F and maintaining the temperature of the freezer at 10°F. You can also let freshly cooked food cool down first before putting it in the fridge.

5. Laundry

Before using your washing machine, keep a full load of laundry ready to save electricity and water at the same time. While buying a washing machine, consider a high-efficiency model that can help save energy.

So what is Earth Hour?

From the Earth Hour website:

Around the globe, millions of people, businesses, and landmarks set aside an hour to host events, switch off their lights, and make noise for climate change action. This year Earth Hour is at 8:30pm on March 25, 2017.

The UAE has been celebrating Earth Hour every year since 2008, with all seven emirates involved. It is the biggest environmental event of the year, and with each passing Earth Hour more and more people are showing their commitment to our planet.

Switch off on March 25, 8:30pm local time, and switch on your social power. Use #EarthHourUAE and #ChangeClimateChange to raise awareness on climate change and how it affects our region and our beautiful planet.