Penn State’s EcoReps will host a lantern display to commemorate Earth Hour at 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 27, on Old Main lawn.

Additionally, students, faculty, staff, and community members are encouraged to eliminate their electricity usage during the hour to reduce carbon emissions and help combat climate change. Old Main’s clock tower will also be turned off during the hour to support the cause.

Earth Hour is held annually on the last Saturday of March ever since it originated in 2007.

The observance, which started as a symbolic “lights out” event held by the World Wildlife Fund in Sydney, Australia, is now recognized by millions of people in more than 180 countries worldwide. Earth Hour has grown to become one of the largest grassroots environmental movements in the world.

EcoReps aims to educate the Penn State community about sustainability on campus.

To participate in this year’s Earth Hour event, take an online pledge to turn off your lights and other electronics for the duration of the hour. The pledge asks participants to support efforts to save wildlife and protect nature, as the two are “vital to our survival and prosperity.”

The organization will light one lantern for each pledge that is taken. Community members can see each others’ reasons for pledging after completing their own, too

For more information on EcoReps or its observance of Earth Hour, visit the EcoReps’ website.