Singapore (22 Feb 2024) - Earth Hour, the world’s largest grassroots environmental movement, proudly announced Seiko Epson Corporation (“Epson”) as its first-ever international corporate partner. At a time when the world is increasingly divided and the planet which we all depend on is facing dual climate and nature emergencies, the new partnership aims to inspire millions of people to take energy-saving action for the benefit of the planet. In 2023, Earth Hour achieved more than 410,000 hours pledged on its Hour Bank - an online counter of planet-positive activities. For this year’s Earth Hour, on 23 March 8:30pm local time, they aim to create the Biggest Hour for Earth once again.
“Our partnership with Epson exemplifies a collaborative approach when it comes to this year's Earth Hour,” says Yves Calmette, Senior Director, Brand and Network Communications for Earth Hour. “Together we can unleash the power of collective action - but we need everyone’s involvement to make it the Biggest Hour for Earth yet. In the face of a polarised society struggling to tackle the scale and pace of the dual climate and nature crises, we want Earth Hour to be a moment to celebrate our one shared home - our planet.
“Earth Hour isn’t just about acknowledging the problem, it's about celebrating the solutions. We want Earth Hour to be a beacon of hope, so that we can build a brighter, more sustainable future for all,” adds Calmette.
From opting for energy-efficient appliances around your home to adjusting the default settings on your air-conditioning, Epson and Earth Hour together urge people to Give an hour for Earth by going energy-efficient for not only the 60 minutes of Earth Hour, but beyond - together, we can make a big difference.
Yasunori Ogawa, Global President of Epson said, "Epson has upheld the mission of co-existing with nature and local communities since its founding. We believe in fulfilling our role in society by taking positive actions, and think that collective actions will eventually make a big difference. Through this partnership, we hope to expand understanding and empathy for environmental activities and provide an opportunity for as many people as possible to take action.”
Epson has publicly announced its Environmental Vision 2050 in which it committed to become carbon negative and eliminate the use of non-renewable underground resources1 by 2050. To achieve these goals, the company is rolling out a series of initiatives aimed at achieving decarbonization such as increasing the efficiency of electricity use and switching to 100% renewable electricity at all Epson Group sites2. Epson recognizes that the engagement of the whole community is necessary to achieve a sustainable society, and is working with like-minded partners such as Earth Hour to raise awareness of and take bold actions to solve environmental issues facing our planet.
Since its inception in 2007, Earth Hour has shone a spotlight on climate change and nature loss. Earth Hour 2024 unites people around the world to focus on the ever-growing inspiring actions and celebrate our planet. With participation from over 190 countries and territories, and millions of individuals worldwide, Earth Hour has become a symbol of collective action and environmental consciousness.
Earth Hour and Epson invite everyone this Earth Hour to Give an hour for Earth - by embracing a more conscious energy-saving lifestyle. Find out more at: earthhour.org/epson.
1 Non-renewable resources such as oil and metals, reference.
2 "All sites" referenced in this release excludes leased properties for sales offices, etc., where the amount of electricity cannot be determined.
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About Earth Hour
Earth Hour is WWF’s flagship global environmental movement. Earth Hour encourages participants to share their commitment to the planet by Giving an hour for Earth, to create the Biggest hour for Earth yet. Participants are encouraged to dedicate one hour to planet-friendly activities, from turning off lights to embracing sustainable diets. This serves as a rallying cry for the unprecedented collective action needed to address pressing environmental challenges. Visit www.earthhour.org to find out how you can take part this year, and Give an hour for Earth.
About Epson
Epson is a global technology leader whose philosophy of efficient, compact and precise innovation enriches lives and helps create a better world. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson’s goal is to become carbon negative and eliminate use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050. To learn more about Epson, please visit: epson.com. You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.