Darkness engulfed the earth on March 28. 900 cities spread across 74 countries, switched off their lights for one hour to commemorate the Earth hour, an energy saving campaign. From Mandela square to the ManU stadium; Sydney Opera House to the Soweto Gospel choir in Johannesburg and many cities in between, the hour was observed like no other had been before. This year, the campaign was a vote for action against global warming. Switching off lights was therefore a vote for earth. Conservation of energy and the search for alternative sources is a global concern. Soaring power prices are one of the greatest challenges businesses face. Alternative sources of energy are a much sought after commodity especially in Africa, which has for too long depended on hydropower. Rwanda is no exception. A local business journal reports that, the country’s power tariffs were the highest among the East African Countries, citing the rate as 22 US cents per kilowatt hour. This is compared to 16 US cents in Uganda and 13 in Kenya and Tanzania. The World Wide Fund targeted 1 billion votes from Earth day supporters. These votes are to be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, later this year. Ends
