Director-General of the Environment Public Authority (EPA) Dr. Salah Al-Modhi said Kuwait has successfully jointed other countries of the world in celebrating the Earth Hour on Saturday. "The annual celebrations help promote the awareness of massive mainstream community, particularly among youths, about a broad range of environmental issues," he told KUNA on the sidelines of a celebration held by EPA between 8: 30 pm and 9:30 pm. "Though symbolic, the annual EPA celebration has a social dimension as it drew participation from government and non-government organizations as well as growing numbers of individuals," he added. Dr. Al-Modhi appreciated the interest of mass media in the event which aims primarely to encourage individuals, communities, households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol for their commitment to the planet. He noted that the non-essential consumption of power has adverse impacts on environment and it is a collective responsibility to curb the global warming. Earth Hour first started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, before growing to engage more than 7,000 cities and towns worldwide; the one-hour event continues to be a key driver of a larger movement.