Press Releases

Budapest, March 27, 2009 09:32

On March 28 the world will turn its attention to the Earth Hour. Magyar Telekom and its offer brands, T-Home and T-Mobile will join the international campaign again this year. For one hour the biggest light advertisements of the company, the T-Pont shops and the office buildings will go dark. Magyar Telekom has joined the initiative because it wants to act for climate protection and, by leveraging its size, importance and place in the infocommunications market, it wants to persuade others also to join this initiative so that "the world will be a better place tomorrow".

Magyar Telekom was the first among the Hungarian corporations to join the international WWF initiative in 2008 when the Eiffel tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Coliseum and the Chain Bridge also went dark for an hour. The action is intended to raise people's awareness of the danger and detrimental effects of the climate change. Between 20.30 and 21.30 on March 28, 2009 lights will be switched off on the emblematic buildings of the biggest cities of the world, on famous towers, skyscrapers and bridges.
In a special contribution in 2008, 18 T-Pont shops open during the "Earth Hour" will exchange spent batteries and used telephones for energy-saving bulbs, and from 12.00 am till closing time visitors will be handed fliers with advice on how to economize on energy.

Origo Zrt has also joined the initiative. Its market leading portal sites, [origo] and iWiW will be displayed in energy-saving mode, with a black background during the day. [origo] will launch at 8.30pm a daily series providing 365 ideas for a year's time, raising the user's environmental awareness. An Earth Hour 2009 club has been started on the largest social portal, which welcomes everyone who is ready to switch off their lights. Origo has also launched its "Green Office" program.

For Saturday, Magyar Telekom has also announced Volunteer Day actions, when volunteers will work at 14 locations in Budapest and the country, in kindergartens, schools and in the Budakeszi Game Park tidying these places, planting trees and flowers, painting fences and playground equipment, making the environment more attractive and also helping build Internet networks.

Climate protection is a key element of Magyar Telekom's sustainability strategy, so this issue enjoys special attention not only for an hour in the life of the company. Two years ago Magyar Telekom launched a climate protection program to raise awareness and make its employees more sensitive to the problem through dialogue. As part of the efforts to use equipment that put less burden on the environment, the company has introduced free-air cooling equipment in its base stations, PEM energy cells, heat pumps and has also bought some hybrid cars. Magyar Telekom has, since 2005, been managing under the auspices of ETNO the joint initiative with WWF called "Climate Protection at Light Speed". Under this project the professionals have studied climate protection options in infocommunications, and these efforts have recently been enjoying the support of the European Union too. Another domestic initiative launched in 2008 also deserves mention in this context: it is called "Switch back!" and Magyar Telekom was one of its founders.