Minneapolis Turning Out Lights For ‘Earth Hour’

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Minneapolis is turning out the lights in city buildings for an initiative called "Earth Hour" to raise awareness of climate change.

From 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday night, the city plans to turn off all uses of electricity in major municipal buildings that aren't required for life, safety or operations.

In a statement, the city says residents are also being encouraged to participate in Earth Hour and reduce their energy use. It says 40 percent of greenhouse gas pollution in Minneapolis comes from electricity.

The city of Minneapolis has participated in Earth Hour since 2008. It's grown from a one-city initiative in 2007 to a 7,000-city global movement, reaching hundreds of millions of people in 152 countries across all seven continents.