CHICAGO (March 25, 2008) Take a photo of the Chicago skyline, play the guitar under the stars, make scary faces with a flashlight, or just keep the lights off for one hour. These are some of the many ways ComEd’s 3.8 million customers can pass the time when they turn off the lights during Earth Hour on Saturday, March 29, from 8 to 9 p.m.

ComEd, a major partner for World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour Chicago, is encouraging its  customers to participate in this historic event. Sydney, Australia, held the first Earth Hour last year and now it is an international movement. Chicago is a flagship city in the U.S. and one of several major cities in the world participating this year.

Encouraging customers to turn off lights during Earth Hour is one of ComEd’s 12 Ways to Green, launched earlier this year to raise customer awareness about energy efficiency and other environmental initiatives. It also is part of a comprehensive environmental strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower the carbon footprint of Exelon, its subsidiaries and customers.

"This is a symbolic initiative that will educate our customers and people worldwide about energy conservation and protecting the environment from future climate change," said Anne Pramaggiore, ComEd executive vice president of Customer Operations, and Regulatory and External Affairs. "Scientists tell us glaciers are melting, plants and animals are being forced from their habitat, and the number of severe storms and droughts is increasing. Turning off the lights for one hour is a perfect model for the behavioral changes needed to reverse these trends."

Climate change occurs as a result of carbon dioxide emissions from everyday activities like using energy and driving a car. ComEd estimates that for every kilowatt hour (kW) consumed by its customers, about 1.2 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions are created by power plants that burn carbon-based fuel. To estimate the environmental impact of your annual energy usage, visit www.ComEdCARE.com where you can find a link to the U.S. EPA’s carbon calculator.

During Earth Hour, ComEd urges customers to continue to use security and emergency lighting, and any lights critical to safety. Also, businesses should adhere to OHSA standards when considering which lights to turn off. Residents also should consider unplugging non-essential items such as cell phone chargers and computers during this hour.

"While the voluntary reduction in lighting should result in less energy consumption, we do not expect an adverse impact to ComEd's system," said Pramaggiore. "We are working closely with the City and emergency services agencies to plan a safe and coordinated event and we will provide 24/7 staffing to respond to emergency situations."

Don’t know what to do when the lights are off for one hour? ComEd has compiled a list of fun things people can do to commemorate the first ever Earth Hour in Chicago:

1. Play the guitar under the stars.
2. Watch the Ferris wheel lights turn off at Navy Pier.
3. Make shadow puppets with a flashlight.
4. Text message your friends to remind them to turn off their lights.
5. Tell ghost stories.
6. Listen to music on your iPod.
7. Buy CFLs at a home improvement store.
8. Snap photos of the skyline.
9. Play a board game with a flashlight.
10. Get out the telescope and explore the galaxy.