Kong (fourth left) handing over event banners to representatives from participating NGOs.

SIBU: The Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) has drawn up a list of activities to mark this year’s Earth Hour and Earth Day on March 28.

The activities include a gotong-royong (work party) by University College of Technology Sarawak (UCTS), ‘Share The Road’ event by Sibu Youth councillors; eco-essay writing and quiz competition for students, community development programme at villages, eco-colouring contest and eco-handicraft do-it-yourself (DIY) sessions, as well as an e-waste recycling demonstration by Computer Sales and Services Association.

According to deputy organising chairperson Sylvia Kong, the activities will run from March 28 to April 17 at various venues here.

All programmes are held with strong support from government agencies, schools, neighbourhood committees, as well as non-governmental associations (NGOs) such as JCI Sibu and Tzu Chi Foundation.

“The purpose is to raise awareness on environmental issues. Hopefully, all would join the activities and clean up our neighbourhood,” she said at a press conference yesterday.

Earth Hour is a worldwide movement for the planet run by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). It was famously initiated as a ‘lights-off’ event in Sydney back in 2007.

Since then, it has grown to engage more than 7,000 cities and towns worldwide, encouraging individuals, households, business sectors and communities to turn off all non-essential lights for that hour – 8.30pm to 9.30pm – on the last Saturday of March annually.

“Today, our planet is facing a broad range of environmental issues such as global warming.

“The SMC has, therefore, decided to hold another campaign this March 28 at Sibu Gateway to inspire our community and people to conserve energy and use it more wisely,” Kong said.