Brock will cut its power use Saturday as the world’s energy conscious observe Earth Hour.

The University will shut off lights in parking lots T, U and V for Earth Hour, which is 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on March 26. It will also dim the roadside Brock sign.

“It’s always a careful balance between Earth Day initiatives and safety and security,” said Tom Saint-Ivany, Associate Vice-President of Facilities Management.

In many areas on campus, Brock is unable to turn off the lights due to security and safety concerns, he said. One example is the Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Research Complex.

Brock’s Sustainability Co-ordinating Committee invites staff, faculty and students to switch off unnecessary lights in their own areas.

Earth Hour is an international effort to turn off lights to conserve energy and make a statement against climate change.

It began in Sydney, Australia in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned off their lights for one hour. It has since grown to more than 4,000 cities in 88 countries. The effort is organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).