(Hong Kong - 25 March 2011) Tomorrow, Ocean Park will once again join hands with 2.5 million people in Hong Kong who are expected to take part in Earth Hour 2011, a world-wide campaign organised by WWF to raise public awareness of global warming and to promote a low-carbon lifestyle. Between 8:30-9:30 p.m., Ocean Park will switch off all non-essential lights for 60 minutes. Most lights for guest paths, other areas within the Park, offices and other facilities will be switched off during this period.
Ocean Park Chief Executive Tom Mehrmann, said, “We are happy to continue our support for Earth Hour this year and reiterate our commitment to environmental conservation. All non-essential lights in the Park will be turned off for the hour, including the blue egg-shaped lighting on the exterior of the Grand Aquarium that is part of Aqua City, our latest flagship attraction area that conveys messages of marine life conservation. From 6pm onwards, Guests would also be able to enjoy dinner at Neptune’s Restaurant on Saturday evening in a special candle-lit setting, before watching the spectacular Symbio! show, which tells the story of how man and nature exist in harmony to care for the earth.”
Ocean Park is strongly committed to reducing its carbon footprint and has made concerted efforts in energy reduction since 2006. The Park has been cutting back on the use of resources through water and electricity saving initiatives, and since 2007 has incorporated green elements in all new exhibit designs for attractions under the Master Redevelopment Plan. In 2006, the Park restructured the Environmental Steering Committee to include three sub-committees: an internal sub-committee focusing on company and employee efforts, an external sub-committee on visitor and community education, and a design sub-committee to focus on the design of exhibits. In 2010, the Park also engaged an outside consultant to conduct a carbon audit on its venues and facilities, and will continue to place emphasis on carbon management this year.
To garner greater public awareness and support for Earth Hour 2011, Ocean Park will promote the event in park shows tomorrow and education programs conducted from 21-26 March. Earth Hour posters and video clips are featured at selected Park attractions and facilities, while reminder emails are distributed to the staff to encourage participation. This year, the Park will also use its website as well as the powerful social media platform to encourage participation of Earth Hour from its Facebook fans.
Ocean Park was founded on a conservation mandate to connect people with nature. Through its conservation arm, Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong (OPCFHK), and its education department, Ocean Park Academy (OPA), the Park is engaged in over 200 projects valuing over 20 million dollars geared towards animal and habitat conservation research, and over 544,000 students have been inspired since 1992 by conservation visions and values through our education programmes.
