The Green Party of Michigan is calling on all residents of the state
to observe a "Dark Earth Hour" from 9:00 to l0:00 p.m. on the third
Thursday of each month to raise awareness of the need to reduce our
energy consumption.

For that one hour every month, households and businesses are
encouraged to turn off all non-essential lights and electrical
appliances.

In 2007, Australia's World Wildlife Fund promoted the first annual
awareness-raising "Earth Hour." Inspired by that idea, GPMI decided
a monthly effort could make even more of a difference.

The "global warming" debate too often frames the problem as a choce
between coal or nuclear power, yet both coal and nuclear pose
enormous risks to the environment and human health.

Greens prefer the better option of making conservation and efficiency
the key components of energy policy as we transform to wind and solar
technologies, and gradually phase out coal and nuclear.

GPMI's concern for the impact of rapidly rising energy costs on low
and moderate income people is also behind the push for the Third
Thursday Dark Earth Hour.

Tell your friends and acquaintances! The Third Thursday Dark Earth
Hour is a reminder that we can all help buy time as we make the
transition to earth-gentle, renewable energies.