"In its simplicity, Earth Hour is something that people can relate to because the objective and the way you can help are very straightforward," he said.

"I think if you can get everybody to do little things then it adds up to 250 million people. Then all those little things add up to a big thing."

Richards, an Earth Hour ambassador, is among thousands of Hunter residents who have committed to switching their lights off at 8.30pm on Saturday.

The four-time world surfing champion encouraged Earth Hour participants to see their single action within the broader context of environmental sustainability.

"If that simple action of turning the lights off for a little bit makes people think about their environment then it's a really good thing," he said.

And like many others, he said he was keen to see the principles of Earth Hour applied to everyday life.

"It's about getting people to cut back on their creature comforts a bit,'' he said.

"It doesn't mean that you can't have a television, it's just about trying to use a bit less power and turn a few lights off occasionally and walking instead of using the car for short trips."