Several New England communities participated in "Earth Hour" last night, but Boston was not one of them.
In Massachusetts, Concord, Falmouth, Martha's Vineyard, and Northampton encouraged residents to turn off their lights for an hour to make a statement about climate change, as did Bridgeport, Conn., and Portland, Maine. Nationally, a number of large cities joined the movement, including Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Miami, and San Francisco.
A spokeswoman for Mayor Thomas M. Menino, after speaking with administration officials, said she does not have an answer as to why Boston, which frequently encourages environmentally friendly behavior, did not participate.
Cities around the world joined in the demonstration of conservation awareness.
Menino and the city encourage "Earth Hour"-style thinking all year, Jennifer Mehigan said.
"Throughout the year, 365 days a year, the mayor and the city urge the citizens of Boston to do green things, to conserve energy, to use public transportation, to increase their recycling, to unplug their appliances. Everything under the sun," Mehigan said. "It's a constant effort for us."
"As the mayor likes to say, 'Beantown is green town,' " she said.
ERIC MOSKOWITZ
