Lights to go off in Seattle for climate-change awareness event

It's lights out Saturday evening for some of Seattle's major landmarks.

The Space Needle, the Pacific Science Center's arches and Seattle City Hall will all go dark from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. as part of Earth Hour, a global event to raise awareness for global climate change.

The event was started last year in Sydney, Australia, by the World Wildlife Fund and has grown this year to include more than 200 cities in Asia, Europe and North America. Seattle is one of roughly three dozen American cities expected to dim the lights this evening. Phoenix, Chicago and San Francisco will also participate.

In Seattle, Mayor Greg Nickels has ordered all city lights — with the exception of some necessary outdoor, safety and emergency lighting — be switched off. Seattle Municipal Tower, the Central Library, the Seattle Justice Center, city parks, community centers, ballfields and 18 city-owned tennis courts are on the list. Many of the lights are turned off on Saturday evenings anyway.

The event is meant to symbolize how small actions such as turning out lights can lower electricity consumption. Individual people are invited to participate by turning off all their lights for the hour too.

"We are joining millions of people across the world who share our concerns about climate change," Nickels said in a news release.

For more information, visit the World Wildlife Fund Web site at www.worldwildlife.org/earthhour/