Fewer mark Earth Hour

Fewer New Zealanders switched off their lights for Earth Hour on Saturday night than last year.

National power grid operator Transpower reported power consumption was down 2 per cent for the World Wide Fund for Nature-sponsored climate change awareness event, compared to the 3.5 per cent saving recorded last year.

Those on the West Coast apparently signalled the greatest awareness and saved the most, saving 13 per cent.

Canterbury saved 8 per cent, Wellington used 4 per cent less and Auckland 1 per cent. Otago-Southland, Northland, the Bay of Plenty and Taranaki registered no difference.

The event, which took place between 8.30pm and 9.30pm on Saturday night, was the fourth annual Earth Hour.

The lights were turned off on the Skytower and at the Beehive, along with other places of note around the world, including the Pyramids, Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Acropolis.

The Government of Tuvalu turned off power for the whole of the low-lying country.