Pudong Shangri-La, East Shanghai Successfully Break Guinness World Record as Part of Earth Hour Challenge 2013

Pudong Shangri-La, East Shanghai successfully attempted to break the Guinness World Record by having the most number of people to blow out candles simultaneously. This was achieved by having 508 staff of Pudong Shangri-La, East Shanghai at Riverside Avenue in Pudong, Shanghai on 23 March 2013.

Each holding a candle, the participants lined up into the shape of an “S” symbolising the Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts brand at the Riverside Avenue with the historic Shanghai Bund as its backdrop. At 9.20pm, a symbolic candle created by lighting specific guestrooms on the façade of the hotel’s River Wing was dramatically visible to all present and even to many spectators on West Shanghai. At 9:30 p.m., both the 508 candles and the symbolic candle formed by lighting of the guestrooms were blown out simultaneously.

In the week leading to Earth Hour, hotel staff were encouraged to pledge their commitment to the Green Week. Participants would have to adhere to one environmentally friendly activity for an entire year. The hotel has since received a total of 628 pledges, the most popular being the pledge to stay vegetarian every Monday as it garnered a total of 101 signatures.

Jade on 36 Restaurant also garnered the support of diners to choose the Earth Hour organic six course menu as a gesture to renew their pledge to Earth Hour.

The previous Guinness World Record was set on 11 March 2012 by the girl scouts of Medford, New Jersey, United States, when 378 candles were blown out simultaneously to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts USA.

During Earth Hour, energy savings were made by switching off some lighting, including the façade lighting, dimming interior lighting and closing selected facilities, such as the swimming pool, Health Club and Horizon Club in the River Wing.  Throughout the rest of the day, the hotel laundry were also closed to reduce energy use.