Who turned out the lights? Los Angeles-area landmarks go dark in observance of Earth Hour

The famed Pacific Wheel at Santa Monica Pier and the glowing Gateway Pylons at Los Angeles International Airport are just a couple of the local landmarks that will go dark Saturday night in observance of Earth Hour.

“Tonight, LAX will temporarily turn off its iconic gateway pylons in observance of Earth Hour. The pylons will be lit green before going dark from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. in unison with other city-owned buildings and famous landmarks across Los Angeles,” the airport posted on social media.

Earth Hour, which began in Australia in 2007, is sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund. The event is intended to engage the public’s interest in matters involving global warming and to encourage individuals and businesses across the globe to dedicate an hour to activities benefiting Earth’s environment.

The Ferris wheel at Santa Monica Pier, which bills itself as the world’s only solar-powered wheel, will turn off all but its wheel rim safety lights. The lights-off event can be viewed online at the Pacific Park website.

“In an increasingly divided world, Earth Hour serves as a beacon of positivity, hope and inspiration to rally as many people as possible, in particular people who are not fully engaged with the environmental crisis yet,” read a statement from Pacific Park operators.