Environmental authorities in Bogota are calling for all of the capital’s residents to take part in a city-wide voluntary blackout on Monday night to cut down on wasted electricity and to highlight global warming, report Colombian media.
The blackout will take place between 8 and 9 PM on March 8, and marks the first in a series of blackouts on that day each month.
The scheme was approved by the Environmental Council of Bogota in 2009 under agreement 403, which describes it as a voluntary strategy for saving energy and helping to reduce the harmful effects of global warming on the planet.
“Although Bogota contributes only 0.2% of greenhouse gases, the city should adopt responsible habits. By turning off lights in homes and offices once a month for an hour we’re taking the first step,” said Juan Antonio Nieto Escalante, Environment Secretary District.
According to Caracol radio, a similar event that took place last year in Sydney, Australia, saw 2.2 million people take part in the blackout, which meant that energy consumption was reduced by 12.2%.
At the end of this month there will also be an environmental blackout worldwide, in which Colombians are encouraged to take part.
