By Samantha Hayes
The national grid recorded a two percent drop in power consumption last night as people switched off their lights and appliances for Earth Hour.
That response is down on last year, but the event is still growing internationally.
At 8.30 last night it was lights out for Auckland's Sky Tower – the cityscape darkened as office lighting and logos were powered down and a small crowd gathered downtown to celebrate Earth Hour.
“We felt it's a nice event to see other people coming together and be part of something that's more than the event of one town,” says Earth Hour participant Alona Kononovica.
The Beehive cast its vote for action on climate change last night despite John Key and other leaders taking no action at Copenhagen last December.
In Dunedin, as the lights went off the fire dancers lit up and children made candle boats in the Octagon's fountains.
Hamilton diners were happy to be left in the dark as the central city turned street party with fire jugglers and Cook Island drummers.
Power consumption dropped two percent, compared with 3.5 percent last year, although the organisers, World Wildlife Fund, stressed that true participation can't be known until polling results come back in two weeks.
Lee barry - wwf nz project manager
“We had more councils and cities involved here in New Zealand than we did last year,” says WWF New Zealand project manager Lee Barry.
“More community events happening, so hopefully that's encouraged people to get out and experience Earth Hour.”
But WWF say many more people worldwide took part this year and Samoa will complete the switch-off shortly.
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