ZOC joins anti-Global warming campaign

millions of people across the world in switching off lights in the desire to further mobilise people to protect the planet.
The International Olympic Committee has decided to join in with this action, which was scheduled to start yesterday when people left their offices.
Everyone is encouraged to switch off computers, printers and any lights, as well as any other equipment that would use energy for no reason over the weekend.
Today, everyone is encouraged to switch off power between 8.30pm and 9.30pm as way of marking the 2011 Earth Hour.
Everyone is encouraged to unplug their computers if they are not using them, TV and DVD player, household appliances, and to switch off any other lights.
The message is to be passed on to family, friends and neighbours, reminding them that appliances on standby make up some 30 percent of their electricity bills.
For some years now, the IOC has been serious about protecting the environment and sustainable development.
In 2007 in Beijing, the Champions of the Earth prize was awarded to the IOC and its president.
The same year, the IOC announced that the STEP (Sewage Treatment Plant) would henceforth provide cold water from a distance to the whole Vidy site (where the IOC is headquartered) including the pavillion.
Other improvements have gradually been implemented such as the water coolers, the Bioware cups, recycled printing paper, not forgetting the electric bikes!
An internal working group was set up to examine all issues linked to the environment and sustainable development. Several projects are currently being studied which will be publicised in due course.
The Zimbabwe Olympic Committee is also inclined to ensuring that sport in Zimbabwe contributes directly towards sustainable environmental conservation. As such ZOC will fully collaborate with the IOC in lobbying all affiliated national sports associations to take part in the Earth Hour, the organisation’s newly-appointed chief executive, Stanley Mutoya, said yesterday.
“ZOC also wishes to encourage as many national sports associations as possible to take part in the Earth Hour as a bold statement of the sporting community’s commitment towards environmental sustenance and protection of the planet,” Mutoya said.
ZOC is currently working on activities under the Sport and Environment programme and will be sending a delegate to Doha, Qatar, to join the rest of the world in the 9th World Conference on Sport and Environment scheduled for April 30 to May 2 2011.
This is in consistency with the new 2011-2015 ZOC Strategic Plan and 2011 Business Plan in which issues related to sport and the environment are set to receive enhanced prominence.
Earth Hour began in 2007 in the city of Sydney, Australia, when more than two million people and 2 000 businesses turned off their lights for one hour on Saturday March 31.
In the space of three years, Earth Hour became the greatest environmental action in history.
In 2010, for example, 1 551 landmarks went dark for Earth Hour: the Sphinx and Pyramids of Giza, the Bird’s Nest in Beijing, the Eiffel Tower, Buckingham Palace and Big Ben, the Acropolis, the Colosseum and the Empire State Building, to name but a few.