Global Warming Awareness

 The Eiffel Tower’s lights will be turned off for five minutes on Thursday as part of a campaign to save energy and draw attention to the plight of the planet.
The agency that manages the Paris landmark said on Tuesday that it will be joining a campaign to draw attention to “sustainable development and the preservation of the planet” with the five-minute blackout at 19:55 (18:55 GMT).

The campaign called “Five Minutes of Respite for the Planet” is being held as world experts meet in Paris to thrash out a report on

The Eiffel Tower has recently changed its lighting system to reduce energy consumption by 30%, according to the SETE agency that manages it.

It has also sought to tap into renewable sources of energy.

With some 6.7 million visitors last year, the Eiffel Tower is one of the world’s most visited landmarks.

Cars were banned in Rome, Milan and other Italian cities on Sunday, leaving residents to walk, ride bikes or use public transportation.The ban on cars and motor scooters, lasting most of the day, was put into place to lower pollution levels. There was no exemption for soccer fans going to stadiums, but public transportation was increased.

Some people resorted to riding bikes or using roller blades on what was a sunny day in both Rome and Milan. Other cities banning cars were Brescia, Como and Varese in the Lombardy region.

The ban, the first in 2007, is often implemented by Italian cities during winter.