110 HRES 1105 IH: Expressing the sense of the House of U.S. House of Representatives 2008-04-14 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1105 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 14, 2008 Mr. McDermott (for himself, Ms. Lee, Mr. Markey, and Mr. Inslee) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives supporting Earth Hour 2008, and for other purposes.

Whereas on the evening of March 31, 2007, the first Earth Hour was organized by the World Wildlife Fund-Australia and practiced in Sydney as residents and businesses turned off their lights for one hour to promote awareness of global warming and to encourage energy conservation; Whereas over 2,200,000 residents and 2,100 businesses in Sydney participated in the inaugural Earth Hour; Whereas the first Earth Hour in Sydney led to an estimated 10.2 percent reduction in energy use across the city; Whereas there is a scientific consensus that human activity has been a prime cause of the buildup of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere; Whereas energy conservation is the most cost-effective method of addressing climate change as every kilowatt saved is one that doesn’t have to be produced; Whereas approximately 40 percent of United States carbon emissions come from generating electricity from our Nation’s power plants, according to the Department of Energy; Whereas on March 29, 2008, Earth Hour became a global event, with millions of people in at least 24 cities around the world participating; Whereas Earth Hour has been supported by more than 370 additional cities around the world; and Whereas many United States cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, Phoenix, San Francisco, Baltimore, Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Portland, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, and Washington, DC, have lent their support to Earth Hour in 2008: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that— (1)the efforts of the organizers and participants of Earth Hour 2008 deserve our congratulations and support for helping to raise awareness about the importance of pursuing energy conservation and efficiency; (2)the United States should continue to take an active participatory and supportive role in each subsequent Earth Hour; and (3)the President should issue a proclamation calling on the American people to observe Earth Hour, and should actively promote awareness of Earth Hour in 2009 and in future years in order to raise awareness and encourage behaviors and strategies that result in the efficient use of energy.