Taiwan, Philippines 7-Eleven chains join Earth Hour lights-off event

Taipei, March 25 (CNA) Taiwan's 7-Eleven chain will partner with its Philippine counterpart in Saturday's Earth Hour campaign by having each store turn off their sign lights from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., operator Uni-President Chain Store Corp. said Tuesday.

More than 4,500 7-Eleven stores in the Philippines will join in the initiative, bringing the total participating in the two economies to more than 10,000, the largest cross-border lights-off effort by convenience store chains in Asia, the company said in a statement.

The company estimates that more than 5,200 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity will be saved, equivalent to about 3,000 kilograms of carbon emissions.

Taking part in Earth Hour for a fifth straight year, the company is also heading the campaign in Taiwan for a third consecutive year and said a record 15,000 locations will participate, including those of its brands as well as business partners, government units and NGOs.

Some 7-Eleven stores already began in June 2024 to regularly shut off sign lighting early in the morning, and more than 3,000 stores are doing this now, Uni-President said.

The initiative has saved more than 2.5 million kWh of power and over 1.25 million kg of carbon emissions since it began, the company said.

Meanwhile, FamilyMart said it is independently joining in the movement for the fourth year, rallying its related brands to turn off their sign lighting for one hour starting at 8:30 p.m., which will save an estimated 2,893 kilograms of carbon emissions, equal to the amount absorbed by 240 trees in a year.

OK Mart also said it would join in switching off all sign lighting in its stores across the country for one hour starting at 8:30 p.m.

Earth Hour, also known as the "lights off" moment, was initiated in 2007 by the World Wide Fund for Nature and is now recognized as the world's largest annual environmental grassroots movement, according to its official website.

It is observed on the last Saturday of March each year.