Vancouver Islanders proved the most committed energy savers in the province during Saturday night’s Earth Hour, with all 10 of B.C.’s top community electricity-use reductions recorded on the Island.
Comox and Courtenay saw the highest drop during the lights-off event at 9.8 per cent, according to B.C. Hydro. They were followed by North Saanich (8.6 per cent), Sidney (8.6 per cent), Qualicum Beach (8.5 per cent), Parksville (8.3 per cent), Campbell River (8.1 per cent), Sayward (8.1 per cent), Duncan (7.8 per cent) and North Cowichan (7.7 per cent).
Colwood, Langford, Metchosin, Saanich, View Royal, Esquimalt and Highlands all recorded between 5.3 per cent and 5.6 per cent reductions. Victoria and Oak Bay reduced electricity by 5.2 per cent. Sooke recorded a 3.3 per cent reduction.
Vancouver reduced electricity use by 2.4 per cent.
Energy Hour is an annual global event that encourages individuals to turn off unnecessary lights and electronics for one hour, in an effort to conserve power.
This year, British Columbians saved 136 megawatt hours of electricity and reduced the provincial electricity load by 1.95 per cent — the equivalent of turning off more than 10 million 12.5-watt LED light bulbs for an hour.
It marked a rise from the 121 megawatt hours of electricity reduced last year.
The total provincial energy savings from Earth Hour participation since 2008 is 500.27 megawatt hours, equivalent to the power used in an hour by 40 million 12.5-watt LED light bulbs.
Residents of the province can track hourly personal electricity use by logging on to their online accounts at www.bchydro.com/myhydro.
