On Saturday, March 23 at 8:30 p.m. local time, Earth Hour, one of the largest global environmental movement returns for its 18th edition with the “Biggest Hour for Earth” as it unites millions around the world in celebration of our planet.
Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier joins Earth Hour as the world-famous Pacific Wheel Ferris wheel, will “Go Dark” except for the wheel rim safety lighting, from 8:30-9:30 p.m. The Pacific Wheel is the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel. The Pacific Wheel Earth Hour event can also be viewed online at https://www.pacpark.com/live.
WWF’s Earth Hour is the world’s largest grassroots environmental movement supporting our planet. In an increasingly divided world, Earth Hour serves as a beacon of positivity, hope, and inspiration to rally as many people as possible, in particular people who are not fully engaged with the environmental crisis yet. Earth Hour is more than a moment; it’s a movement that for the last 18 years has continued to inspire and mobilize people globally, reminding us of our collective responsibility to create a more hopeful and resilient future for our planet.
Since its creation in 2007, Earth Hour has been known for its “lights off” moment. As landmarks and homes across the world switch off, supporters are also invited to symbolically switch off and ‘Give an hour for Earth,’ spending 60 minutes doing something – anything – positive for our planet. In 2023, over 410,000 hours were given to our planet by supporters in 190 countries and territories, representing 90% of the planet, making it the “Biggest Hour for Earth.”
Earth Hour participants can visit earthhour.org to know what’s happening in locations around the world and read individuals’ stories about what they are doing for the planet. Now is the time to secure a healthy, sustainable and climate-resilient future for all. Every voice, no matter how big or small, can help make a difference.
Through its own ecological efforts, Pacific Park received the “Excellence in Stewardship of the Natural Environment” award at the 15th annual Sustainable Quality Awards presented by the City of Santa Monica, the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce and the nonprofit Sustainable Works.
The nine-story tall Pacific Wheel Ferris wheel first debuted in May 1996 with the opening of Pacific Park and was adapted as the world’s first solar-powered Ferris wheel in November 1998.
Pacific Park also introduced the world’s first wind-powered amusement park game, the High Striker, in October 2011. All components of the High Striker were completely wind-powered including the chaser lights with more than 100 bulbs, multiple spotlights and sound system.
Soaring 130 feet above the Pacific Ocean, the Pacific Wheel’s 174,000 LED lights are mounted on the Ferris wheel’s structure including the 40 spokes and two hubs. The world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel’s lighting system features 16.7 million color value combinations while the programming and display software presents imaging up to 24 frames per second to display dynamic, custom, computer-generated lighting entertainment. The eco-friendly, enhanced LED lighting provides 81 percent greater energy savings than most Ferris wheel’s traditional incandescent bulbs.
