A candlelight celebration to mark Earth Hour will be held in Alexandra Park in downtown Orangeville on this Saturday from 8 to 9 p.m.

Earth Hour, during which everyone is urged to do without non-essential electricity, was first held in Sydney, Australia, last year. This year, the initiative is being embraced around the globe, with Shelburne this week following Orangeville council's lead in officially recognizing the event.

Turning off lights for the hour will hopefully remind us that simple actions can have a significant effect and that reducing emissions is a shared concern and responsibility.

Orangeville resident Robin McDonald has taken the effort to heart by spreading the message about the importance of Earth Hour and the public awareness it will bring. She is organizing the candlelight celebration in the park behind the Town Hall. Candles provided by the Town of Orangeville will be distributed at the event.

Justin McDonald of Orangeville will provide entertainment and Mochaberry's will provide coffee.

For more information, contact Ms. McDonald at 519- 217-3101. "If we all pitch in as individuals we can make a difference and increase awareness about global warming," Ms. McDonald says. "I have children and I want to protect our world. Earth Hour brings the message about energy conservation to the forefront for all of us."

Businesses and residents are encouraged to turn off nonessential lights. Anyone can register at www. earthhour.org and you can recruit friends and neighbours to get involved in the Earth Hour cause.

In a press release, the Town of Orangeville suggests you ask your favourite restaurant to have a candlelit dinner hour (using beeswax candles, of course).

You could also organize a block party in your neighbourhood with "in the dark" games and activities, or organize a movie or music night at someone's house, or plan a star-gazing session, or have a backyard barbecue.

Anyone coming up with creative ways to have fun with Earth Hour should let the Town know by emailing info@orangeville.ca. The Town and the Orangeville Sustainability Action Team will recognize those participants on the Town's website and in the local newspapers.

Orangeville Council has issued a challenge to other municipalities and businesses in Dufferin County to join in by participating in Earth Hour.

Shelburne has accepted the challenge. In a press release Wednesday, the town asked residents to turn off "all discretionary power usage" at 8 p.m.

"Street lights, water production, sewage processing, police and fire services which are essential to our citizens will continue, along with snow removal if necessary but the powering of all other services will be switched off for this one hour," said Mayor Ed Crewson, who urged residents to turn off the television, and the lights and have a cozy hour at home, in the dark, with loved ones.

Mono has no plans for Earth Hour, and Melancthon will be doing little more than delaying the township yard's night lights until 9 p.m. Saturday.

Some stores might reduce their consumption during the hour. As one example, Johann Leduc of Sobeys in Orangeville said they'll be shutting off their ovens for the hour but keeping one or more cash registers open. "Customers will not be inconvenienced," she said.

Events planned for the night are expected to go ahead as scheduled. As examples, Orangeville Fairgrounds has the Wild Turkey Federation's banquet and Orangeville's Royal Canadian Legion has a private party plus its usual karaoke night.

Over-all, Terry Young of the Independent Electrical Supply Organization says the expected reduction in consumption for the hour would be about 800 megawatts. This, he said, would still leave a demand for about 17,000 MW.

The chosen hour is such that not many commercial or public consumers are in operation at the time. "The main reduction will be in lighting," he said.

Should it be otherwise, he said, the IESO has several contingency plans in place. "It's easier to shut down coal (generators) than nuclear or hydro," he said, and the output of the wind plants wouldn't be known until the hour.

To obtain more information about Earth Hour around the globe, to sign up as a participant, or to watch the video of the first Earth Hour in Sydney visit www. earthhour.org.