WWF-India will organise the pan-India cyclothon ‘Pedal for the Planet’ on March 26, to observe Earth Hour 2023. Three-time Grammy award winner Ricky Kej will flag off the event in Bengaluru at 7 am.
The cyclothon will start from the Vidhana Soudha (Dr B R Ambedkar metro station), cover 6.8 km, and then conclude at the Vidhana Soudha at 8.30 am.
The event is aimed at raising awareness about Earth Hour, a campaign started by WWF in 2007, and to promote a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle at the individual level.
Kej said that Earth Hour 2023 aims to encourage citizens to reduce the growing environmental impact of urban lifestyles. “Adopting cycling as a way of commuting is a step in the direction of a sustainable way of living."
The cyclothon is being held in partnership with HSBC, BYCS India Foundation and EPAM. It will be held in 11 other cities — New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Guwahati, Bhopal, Kolkata, Valsad, and Udaipur.
“We are living in times where breathing air in the cities has become a threat to life. Every day we come in contact with so much vehicular emission. It is imperative that we change our habits and our way of life in cities,” said Dr Bhairrvi Joshi of BYCS India Foundation.
During Earth Hour on March 25, people across the globe turn off lights for an hour, at 8.30 pm.