Evanston Will Go Dark Saturday Night for Earth Hour

The City of Evanston facilities will go dark between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. this Saturday in honor of Earth Hour, and city officials are encouraging residents to do the same.

Earth Hour is a worldwide hour of darkness in support of a sustainable future, and is supported by ComEd and the World Wildlife Fund.

Evanston Patch will participate by turning out the lights in our Evanston "office" and only using laptop battery power for the duration of the event.

The City of Evanston website offers the following tips for staying "green" even after Earth Hour is over:

• Reduce your residential energy usage today and every day. Track your usage and support the “Big 7 Savers Challenge” by signing up for the CUB EnergySavers on-line tool. Visit www.cubenergysaver.com/evanston to pick a team and start saving energy and money
• Reduce your reliance on your car and increase your use of public transit and your bicycle to get around town. Check out the city’s Area Bike Map to plan your bike trip by taking routes designed for bike traffic.
• Reduce your use of potable water for outdoor uses by capturing rainwater using a rain barrel. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago is gain selling rain barrels at a discounted price. Visit their website for information about ordering a rain barrel and pick-dates and locations.
• Or better yet, shop at a local Evanston business to purchase a rain barrel that has the look, size and functionality that you need. Check out the new green products store YES Green Living on Central Street to purchase or order a wide range of products to help make your home and lifestyle more sustainable.