RESIDENTS across Eastleigh have been urged to go green and join the global light switch off this weekend.

The borough's cabinet member for the environment has issued the plea for residents and the business community to get involved.

Councillor Louise Bloom first learned about the worldwide green initiative when she was contacted by the Daily Echo.

Applauding the move she said: "I would encourage all our residents and businesses in the borough to join and turn out their lights for one hour.

She said that Eastleigh Council was very happy to join the Big Switch Off.

She said: "The lights at the Civic Offices are only on in the evening in rooms where meetings are being held and in necessary corridors. "The lights in the toilets only come on when someone is in there."

Cllr Bloom added: "We would encourage all householders to think about do they really need lights on in the evening?

"The simple act of turning off unnecessary lights saves you money as well as saving the planet from global warming.

"However what I would really like to see is shops and office blocks turning off their lights at night.

"It is ridiculous to see buildings lit up like Christmas trees when they are totally empty.

"It is scandalous waste of electricity and is a definite cause of global warming.

"Even if these companies don't care about their balance sheets, they should at least think about the damage they are causing to the environment and join the switch off."