Earth Hour Campaign Begins 'I Will If You Will' Activity

MANILA, Philippines - The Earth Hour campaign is stepping up its annual lights out event this year with the launching of the "I Will If You Will" activity that offers an opportunity for communities to be part of concrete environmental solutions to save the Earth.

The concept of "I Will If You Will" centers around providing a social contract between two parties by connecting one person, business or organization to a "promise" and their friends, family, customers or members to a "challenge," which is uniting them behind the common goal of creating a positive environmental outcome.

The "I Will If You Will" campaign will use the YouTube video platform to empower people to share a personal dare with the world by asking everyone, "What are you willing to do to save the planet?"

The campaign's digital platform is the result of an alliance between World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Leo Burnett, and YouTube.

The Earth Hour YouTube platform hosts a global library of "I Will If You Will" challenges, while encouraging people to share their challenges publicly through Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and email.

Friends can be invited to participate and accept each challenge using these popular social networks.

The simple promise can range from recycling, to switching to energyefficient light bulbs, turning off your mobile charger, or signing up for paperless banking.

The traditional lights-off activity for Earth Hour 2012 will also be observed from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on March 31.

Earth Hour Philippines National Director Gia Ibay said WWF is now seeking official partners for Earth Hour 2012.

"We call on corporations, local governments, media networks and other organizations to stand with us for this year's switch-off. When public and private sector forces unite - then we will be able to effect change on the scale required to change the world," Ibay said.

Earth Hour began as a single city initiative in 2007 and has since grown to be a 5,251-city strong global movement, reaching 1.8 billion people in 135 countries across all seven continents.

Earth Hour Philippines has led the global switch-off since 2009, ranking number one globally in terms of town and city participation for three consecutive years.

A record-breaking 1,554 Philippine cities and municipalities switched off in 2011, 1,076 in 2010, 647 for 2009, and over 50 during the country's inaugural Earth Hour switch-off in 2008.