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One dark hour could lead to a brighter future.

Cox Enterprises and the Cox Publishing companies are participating in Earth Hour 2008 to take action against climate change. Individuals, families and businesses worldwide are encouraged to turn off their lights and save some energy from 8 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 29.

The implications of this event extend beyond the hour of darkness. Sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund, Earth Hour is aimed at reducing energy consumption around the world and encouraging people to re-evaluate the way in which they use energy every day.

The campaign had a successful beginning last year in Sydney, Australia, where residents and business owners were able to reduce the city's energy consumption by more than 10 percent, the equivalent effect of taking 48,000 cars off the road for a year.

Cox companies are concerned about reducing their impact on the planet. "Cox has long been a conservation-minded company," said Karla Garrett Harshaw, vice president of community development at Cox Ohio Publishing. "If we are smart in the way we use our electricity and other power, we can make a difference in our environment," she said.

How you can conserve

Cox Conserves, a Cox Enterprises initiative to reduce the company's carbon footprint, provides a number of helpful conservation tips:

At home

Unplug electronic devices when they are not in use. Appliances that are plugged in and on stand-by can still use up to 40 percent of their full running power and contribute to about 10 percent of your energy bill.

Use compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. They use two-thirds less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer.

Upgrade to an energy efficient washing machine. While older machines use around 50 gallons of water, new ones use only 27 gallons.

Shave a few minutes off your normal shower time and see your energy bill shrink. Hot water accounts for around 15 percent of your energy bill, and showers are the No. 1 way we use hot water.

At the office

Turn off your computer monitor when going to lunch or leaving your desk.

To save paper, choose double-sided printing or copying.

Open the blinds to make the most of natural light.