Last Saturday, March 26, people and businesses around the world participated in Earth Hour 2011, turning off their lights at 8:30 p.m. local time. Earth Hour was organized by the World Wildlife Fund in 2007, as a way to bring attention to energy-consumption, sustainability, and climate change issues. This year, participants in 134 countries darkened homes, skyscrapers, and landmarks around the world. The images below (starting with photo number two) are interactive -- click on each image to "turn off the lights" (For wider screens, be sure to click the "1280px" option at right.)
Earth Hour 2011
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Read moreThis combo of photos shows the Seoul N Tower before (left) and after (right) the lights were turned off for Earth Hour in Seoul, South Korea, on March 26, 2011. Global landmarks around the world went dark on March 26 as "Earth Hour" took place with millions of people around the world switching off their lights. #
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Read moreLights are put out on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, at bottom left, in participation of Earth Hour in Sydney, Australia, on March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreSheik Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
WWF/Waleed Al Temimi -
Read moreThe lights go out on the iconic face at Luna Park Sydney, Australia, on Saturday, March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreThe skyscrapers of Singapore's central business district are pictured during Earth Hour on March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreMonumen Nasional in Jakarta, Indonesia, during Earth Hour, 2011 [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
© WWF-Indonesia / Alfonso RENO -
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Read morePiccadilly Circus lights go off in London, UK, during Earth Hour on March 26th, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
© WWF/ Tristan Fewings -
Read moreThe National Stadium (top), also known as the "Bird's Nest", and the National Aquatics Center, also known as the "Water Cube", can be seen during Earth Hour in Beijing, China, on March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreThe Empire State Building is seen during Earth Hour in New York City on March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreVictoria Harbour panorama in Hong Kong on March 26th, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
© WWF / Ringo Ma -
Read moreThis combination picture shows the lights around Budapest downtown with the oldest Hungarian bridge "The Chain Bridge" and Buda Palace on March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreThe Cathedral in Lausanne during Earth Hour on March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreThe Lions Gate Bridge during Earth Hour in West Vancouver, British Columbia, on March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreThe Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, when lights were turned off for Earth Hour March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreThe hill of the Acropolis and the Herodion theatre during Earth Hour in Athens, Greece, on March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreGotaplatsen Square and Kungsportsavenyn street during Earth Hour in Gothenburg, Sweden, on March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreThe Peace Bridge in Tbilisi, Georgia, on march 26th, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreThe Sagrada Familia church designed by architect Antoni Gaudii during the worldwide Earth Hour, in Barcelona, Spain, on Saturday, March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreA view of the Las Vegas Strip during Earth Hour 2011 from the House of Blues Foundation Room inside the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on March 26, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreScotland's Edinburgh Castle before and after the lights were switched off on March 26th, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreThe Belarusian National Library during Earth Hour in Minsk, Belarus, on Saturday, March 26, 2011. The monument of Belarusian enlightener Frantsysk Skorina is on the left. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
AP Photo/Sergei Grits -
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Read moreCommercial buildings at Hong Kong's central district switch off nonessential lights on March 26, 2011 to mark Earth Hour. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
AP Photo/Kin Cheung -
Read moreThe Brandenburg Gate during Earth Hour in Berlin on Saturday, March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
AP Photo/Markus Schreiber -
Read moreAldar Headquarters Earth Hour 2011 before and after in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
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Read moreThe Sydney city skyline on March 23, 2011, during Earth Hour on March 26, 2011. [click image to view transition - javascript required] #
Reuters/Tim Wimborne
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