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Some In Bay Area To Mark Earth Hour

Tribune file photo by JAY NOLAN

The SunTrust building dome will go dark for one hour Saturday night to mark Earth Hour.

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE

cwade@tampatrib.com

Published: March 28, 2009

Updated: 03/28/2009 11:39 am

TAMPA - The SunTrust building dome will go dark for one hour tonight.

The lights will be going out for Earth Hour. The event, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. around the world, is organized by the World Wildlife Fund to draw attention to global warming.

Stiles Property Management, a Fort Lauderdale-based firm that manages the 36-story SunTrust building in downtown Tampa, said it will turn off all nonessential interior and exterior lights in the 6 million square feet of office space it oversees statewide.

"Earth Hour is a great opportunity for our community to get involved in spotlighting the need to conserve energy," said Chris Rotolo, Stiles president.

Officials in Tampa and St. Petersburg said they plan to observe the event, which began in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, by turning off lights in some parks and buildings.

"St. Petersburg will unite with thousands of cities and millions of people around the world to support the cause of global sustainability," Mayor Rick Baker says in a written statement.

Lights necessary for public safety, including security lights, streetlights, traffic signals and those at the Albert Whitted Municipal and Tampa International airports, will not go out.

Officials in both cities are encouraging residents and business owners to participate.

About 2,800 cities in 83 countries, including 250 in the United States, have signed up. Iconic structures such as New York's Empire State Building, Paris' Eiffel Tower, Sydney's Opera House and Las Vegas' MGM Grand Casino also are participating.

For information, go to www.earthhour.org/home.

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (813) 259-7679.

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