It will be “lights out” for much of Chicago Saturday night.
Chicago residents are preparing to turn off their lights for an hour Saturday night in honor of Earth Hour.
The global conservation effort, launched by the World Wildlife Fund in 2007, asks individuals, cities, landmarks and businesses to turn their non-essential lights off for one hour starting at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
Last year, hundreds of millions of people from 7,000 cities went dark for the one-hour event.
In Chicago, city officials, the World Wildlife Fund and ComEd will celebrate the hour at the Chicago Cultural Center's Preston Bradley Hall. The celebration features glow-in-the-dark face painting, music and more.
Gov. Pat Quinn on Thursday ordered lights out from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday at many state facilities. That includes the Thompson Center and Bilandic Building in Chicago, the Illinois State Fairgrounds and other state facilities across Illinois.
Quinn says it will not only conserve energy, but "shine a light" on the need to protect the planet.
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Chicago was also named the 2014 Earth Hour capital of the United States.
The year-long competition among cities promotes renewable energy and works to prepare for climate change.
As the United States leader in the challenge, Chicago will now compete with the other international cities for the title of Global Earth Hour Capital for 2014.
