Carried out to support WWF’s Earth Hour, the poll revealed most men wanted to wine and dine glamorous X Factor judge Cheryl Cole, whilst women favoured charismatic Pirates of the Caribbean star, Johnny Depp. And given the chance to bring absolutely anyone back from the past for a spot of supper, 15% of people would pick Elvis Presley, with Freddie Mercury and Marilyn Monroe in second and third place.
Based on a sample of 4,000 people, the survey backs WWF’s Earth Hour initiative – a global WWF campaign to encourage one billion people, and hundreds of iconic buildings and landmarks, to switch off their lights for one hour at 8.30pm on Saturday 28 March 2009 and show their support for positive action on climate change. Millions of people around the world are expected to hold candlelit dinners and parties to mark the event.
1,500 cities and towns from more than 80 countries, including London, Cardiff, Belfast, Newcastle, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh, have already signed up to support WWF’s Earth Hour and the numbers are growing daily. Landmarks from Nelson’s Column and the Wembley Arch in London, to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, the entire quayside in Newcastle and the Forth Bridge in Edinburgh are also committed to taking part.
“WWF’s Earth Hour is set to be the world’s biggest ever climate change event, and it will send an incredibly powerful message to global leaders that, in order to avoid its worst impacts, they need to take action to tackle climate change now,” said Colin Butfield, Head of Campaigns at WWF-UK. “WWF hopes that millions of people across the UK will take part and celebrate the hour by holding candlelit dinners with their friends and family, even if they are secretly wishing they were with Cheryl Cole or Johnny Depp instead.”
The level of public support for Earth Hour should come as no surprise – according to the poll, apart from the current financial crisis, climate change is the UK public’s greatest fear for the future and an overwhelming 72%of people are willing to take more action to tackle the issue head on. Climate change is also a vote winning issue – 57% of people polled would vote for a political party that promised strong action against climate change – and 88% of people think the UK government should be doing more to get world leaders to tackle the issue.
WWF hopes that the millions of people taking part in Earth Hour will help to convince governments across the world that they must agree to take effective action to tackle climate change, when they meet at the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen, in December 2009. To sign up to WWF’s Earth Hour, please text ‘earth’ to 84880 or visit: www.wwf.org.uk/earthhour
- ends -
Editor’s notes
The survey was carried out online by One Poll, and full results are available on request
The way we live is leading to environmental threats such as climate change, species extinction, deforestation, water shortages and the collapse of fisheries. WWF’s One Planet Future Campaign is working to help people live a good quality of life within the earth’s capacity. For more information visit www.wwf.org.uk/oneplanet
For further information or WWF’s Earth Hour images/logo, please contact:
Jo Sargent, tel: 01483 412375, mobile: 07867 697 519, email: jsargent@wwf.org.uk
