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SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are deeply
3 concerned about the impact of climate change and the future
4 health and well-being of our planet; we believe that energy
5 efficiency, natural resource conservation, and a demand by the
6 voting public for action by elected officials are important
7 elements to combating climate change; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Earth Hour is an international and local symbolic
9 event organized by the World Wildlife Fund to raise awareness
10 about climate change issues and to encourage businesses,
11 individuals, and governments to take action to reduce their
12 carbon emissions and their impact on the environment in their
13 daily lives and operations; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Earth Hour asks all citizens, businesses,
15 government agencies, and commercial and non-commercial
16 establishments to turn off all non-essential lighting for one
17 hour, beginning at 8:30 P.M. on March 28, 2009, and to
18 encourage citizens and businesses to commit to actions they can
19 take in the coming year to reduce their carbon footprints and
20 conserve energy; and
 
21     WHEREAS, If every household were to install one compact
22 fluorescent lamp (CFL), annual energy savings will reach

 

 

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1 approximately 18 gigawatt hours per year, or 1.3% of total
2 residential energy demand; and
 
3     WHEREAS, Earth Hour will be used as a tool to inform local
4 residents and businesses about existing information and tools
5 already available within the community to assist them in
6 increasing energy efficiency and decreasing emissions and the
7 use of natural resources; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Extinguishing non-essential lights in all State
9 government buildings, public schools, and public landmarks for
10 one hour and urging all businesses and citizens to do the same
11 will send a clear message that the people of Illinois are
12 concerned about climate change, that we stand with the rest of
13 the world in seeking solutions, and that we are demanding that
14 elected leaders act immediately to take measures that will help
15 fight global climate change effort to stop climate change,
16 including the passage of legislation and good-faith
17 participation in the United Nations Climate Change Conference
18 negotiations in Copenhagen, Denmark in December of 2009; and
 
19     WHEREAS, Turning non-essential lights off in all State
20 government buildings, public schools, and public landmarks
21 will serve as an important rallying point for the Statewide
22 energy conservation event known as Earth Hour; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
2 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we embrace and support
3 Earth Hour in order to raise awareness about global climate
4 change and energy efficiency; and be it further
 
5     RESOLVED, That we encourage all State employees to turn off
6 all non-essential lighting in State government buildings,
7 public schools, and public landmarks for the hour between 8:30
8 and 9:30 P.M. on March 28, 2009 in order to conserve energy and
9 raise awareness about global climate change as part of this
10 energy conservation event; and be it further
 
11     RESOLVED, That we designate the date of March 28, 2009 as
12 "Earth Hour Day" in the State of Illinois.