Earth Hour started Down Under in 2007 when 2.2 million homes and businesses in Sydney, Australia turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change.
A year later, Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement, with over 50 million people across 35 countries participating.
Global landmarks ranging from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and Rome's Colosseum stood in darkness as "symbols of hope".
In March 2009, over 4,000 cities in 88 countries officially "switched off" to pledge their support for the planet, making Earth Hour 2009 the world's largest global climate change initiative.
Organised by conservation organisation WWF, Earth Hour has the backing of celebrities ranging from X Factor winner Alexandra Burke and chart stars Paloma Faith and Mel C to Archbishop Desmond Tutu and uber couple Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady.
Tomorrow, Coca-Cola will switch off the lights of its legendary neon sign in London's Piccadilly Circus for only the fourth time since the second world war.
Other big landmarks confirmed for the big switch-off include Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Edinburgh Castle, Manchester's Arndale Centre and the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff.
. Joanne McCabe
Thanks available from:
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/819304-earth-hour-2010-switch-on-to-the-big-climate-change-switch-off
http://www.csmonitor.com/CSM-Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Earth-Hour-2010/(photo)/2
