BALIWAG, Bulacan—Recycled materials and solar lamps highlighted the annual Earth Hour celebrations here on Saturday night as organizers stressed the need for renewable energy to save the planet.
At least 100 replicas of fireflies made from recycled soda bottles and powered by solar energy lighted the façade of SM City Baliwag during the switch off as Bulakenyos joined the rest of the world in the annual celebrations.
It was followed by the lighting of laser finger beams attached to fingers of about 1,000 participants who joined the one-hour party.
Beverly Cruz, public relations specialists of SM City Baliwag said solar-powered firefly replicas symbolized the call to conserve energy and save the planet through utilization of energy efficient materials.
“Fireflies are known as lighting bugs and they are one of the symbols of environmental conservation as the insects only thrive in unpolluted areas,” Cruz said.
She stressed that fireflies also symbolize hope for every human effort to protect the environment from pollution.
Cruz also said that SM malls’ focus in this year’s Earth Hour celebration is on the use of the energy efficient materials and proper waste management practices.
Days before the celebration, she said that mall employees gathered soda bottles that were used in firefly replica production.
The improvised fireflies were later installed by SolarTech Enterprise, a Philippine-based company that provides functional and reliable solar power systems.
As one of the leading local supplier of photovoltaic cells, SolarTech aims to promote green and renewable energy in the country.
Its objective is to innovate products from solar and other renewable energy sources to help wean the world from relying on harmful and carbon-emitting energy sources.
Meanwhile, the annual celebration also drew pledges from participants who vowed to conserve energy by regularly turning off lights, re-use water and use bicycle as transport especially for short distances.
Just before the switch off, Shane Velasco of the Bulacan State University Rainforestation program also challenged participants including local officials to ensure sustainability of environment related programs.
