Earth Hour 2011

People, governments, companies, and organizations observed Earth Hour 2011 as 134 countries switched off lights worldwide Saturday, March 26, at 8:30 p.m. The movement to raise awareness about energy consumption took on added relevance with a Japanese nuclear power station crippled after the earthquake and resulting tsunami there. Gathered here are a series of before-and-after photographs from this year - which (starting with the second one below) will fade between "on" and "off" when clicked. [See also: last year] This effect requires javascript to be enabled. -- Lane Turner (15 photos total)

An Indian family hold candles during an Earth Hour campaign in Mumbai on March 26, 2011. (Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images)

A view of Sydney Harbor four days before Earth Hour, and during the observance on March 26. [click image to see it fade] (Tim Wimborne/Reuters) #

Towers in Hong Kong's central financial district (left to right) Bank of China Tower, Cheung Kong Centre, HSBC headquarters, Standard Chartered Bank and Legislative Council (front left) are pictured before and during Earth Hour. [click image to see it fade] (Bobby Yip/Reuters) #

The Las Vegas Strip seen before and during Earth Hour from the House of Blues Foundation Room inside the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. [click image to see it fade] (Ethan Miller/Getty Images) #

The Welcome Statue fountain is seen before and during Earth Hour in Jakarta. [click image to see it fade] (Supri/Reuters) #

The Taipei 101 tower in Tapei before and during Earth Hour. [click image to see it fade] (Nicky Loh/Reuters) #

The Lions Gate Bridge before and as lights were turned off for Earth Hour, as seen from from West Vancouver. [click image to see it fade] (Andy Clark/Reuters) #

The National Stadium (top), also known as the "Bird's Nest", and the National Aquatics Center, also known as the "Water Cube", both icons of the 2008 Olympics, are seen before and during Earth Hour observations in Beijing. [click image to see it fade] (David Gray/Reuters) #

Singapore's central business district lit up before Earth Hour, and dimmed during the observance. [click image to see it fade] (Tim Chong/Reuters) #

The temple of the Parthenon in Athens shines brightly before Earth Hour, and dims during the observance. [click image to see it fade] (John Kolesidis/Reuters) #

The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin lit up before and dark during observance of Earth Hour. [click image to see it fade] (Markus Schreiber/AP) #

The lights around Budapest's downtown, with the oldest Hungarian bridge 'The Chain Bridge', and Buda Palace shine brightly before and go dim during Earth Hour. [click image to see it fade] (Attila Kisbenedek/AFP/Getty Images) #

Gotaplatsen Square and Kungsportsavenyn Street before and during Earth Hour in Gothenburg, Sweden. [click image to see it fade] (Björn Larsson Rosval/SCANPIX/AP) #

Times Square in New York observes Earth Hour...somewhat. [click image to see it fade] (Eric Thayer/Reuters) #

Rio de Janeiro's iconic Christ the Redeemer statue is shown before and during Earth Hour in Brazil. [click image to see it fade] (Felipe Dana/AP) #