On Saturday, 8:30 p.m. is the time to turn off your lights for an hour.

The World Wildlife Fund has generated a lot of hoopla around Earth Hour, asking people to cast “a visual vote” for climate change. It started in 2007 in Australia. Last year, supposedly millions of people participated.

The effort will probably save a little money — unless building administrators have to hire staff on overtime to come in and flip the switches — but mostly it’s a symbolic event, intended to generate awareness.

Across the globe, prominent buildings and landmarks will go dark for their local hour, including the great pyramids in Egypt, the Acropolis in Greece, Broadway theater marquees, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Eiffel Tower, you name it. The U.N. Secretary General has urged participation. Large swaths of Antarctica will be unlit. Oh wait, they usually are.

And here? Well, uh. I’ve probably missed a few things, but let’s see:

Cherry Hill passed a resolution in support of Earth Hour. So did West Chester.

Chester County is darkening the courthouse and justice center.

And, uh ...

Nonessential lights at the state capitol in Harrisburg will go out for a bit, and the DEP has urged everyone to participate.

In Philly, three city buildings will turn off, but not City Hall.

And, uh ...

The Cira Centre is turning off its lights.

The Philadelphia Goddard Schools pledged to shut off lights there — but a bit early, at 10 a.m. today. Never mind the broad daylight, it was so the students could participate.

And, uh ...

A local advocate called the Art Museum and the Constitution Center, but she didn’t hear back. Sure, “this kind of seems gimicky,” she said. But “it’s a simple action that has a bigger meaning.”

The poor guy who wound up the unofficial tallier of local events wrote to me in an e-mail: “As painful as it is to admit, I have nothing to report on local events or buildings.” He said a lot of people are aware of the event. Just not participating. Or, maybe participating but not trumpeting it. “So, at this point, all I can say is, ‘Maybe next year.’ “

If you’re doing something, how about adding it below as a comment?

Maybe folks around here are in more of a mindset for the spoof: The conservative Competetive Enterprise Institute has launched “Human Achievement Hour” for precisely the same time on Saturday.

“Unlike Earth Hour, the purpose Human Achievement Hour is to salute the people who keep the lights on and produce the energy that helps make human achievement possible,” the CEI said in an announcement. “Many organizations and average folks around the world will show their support for human achievement by simply going about their daily lives.”

Well, uh ... maybe in 2010 the region will tune in and flick out.