Hollybollywood

SHE famously sang "light up, light up" - but Leona Lewis will be switching them all OFF for next month's Earth Hour.

The superstar singer is making her home a no-glow zone from 8.30pm on March 27.

And we are urging every single one of our readers to do the same, as part of our Go Green & Save campaign.

It is our way of supporting WWF's Earth Hour - which aims to get a billion people across the world to turn off their lights for 60 minutes to remind politicians just how important climate change is.

X Factor winner Leona, 24, who's now a worldwide star, revealed how desperately worried she is about the environment.

She said: "At times I have no hope at all. I think it's going to take for the world to actually MELT for people to realise. We'd have to start all over again.

"You see these films about natural disasters that are all Hollywood and crazy - but actually they are not that far off from the truth about what could happen to the planet in generations to come.

"Something IS happening. And it's going to really affect us if we don't do something about it." She went on: "People say, 'It's OK, it's not in our generation, it will figure itself out.'

"But that's not right. We need to really start thinking about it. It's not actually crazily far away. My children will be affected. I think about that all the time."

Last year hundreds of millions of people around the world showed their support for the News of the World-backed Earth Hour by turning off their lights.

Major British landmarks - including Big Ben, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Edinburgh Castle, and Cardiff's Millennium Stadium - went black to raise awareness for environmental issues.

This year organisers are hoping the event will be even bigger, as the clock ticks towards a potential global meltdown.

Leona said: "I've been asking everyone to switch off the lights. Campaigns like this really help and are effective. It's about getting the message out."

But doing her bit doesn't stop there for Leona - she tries to be green in all aspects of her life despite being a globe-trotting megastar.

And she wants to get the message across that it's not that hard for anyone to reduce their carbon footprint. She explains: "Of course we're not telling you to live in the dark by candlelight. And it's not about saying to people you can't get on a plane. I travel all the time.

"But I plant a tree every time I've been on a plane to counter-balance the effects.

"I try to do as much as I can, especially when I'm away. I rent hybrid cars, and at home I have a Mini that is the same fuel efficiency as a hybrid."

The little things count too. Leona says: "I'm conscious about lights and energy saving. I've always switched off the lights when I'm not in a room since I was a child.

"I used to really annoy my parents because I'd do it even when they were in there! I do it automatically.

"It's not about saving a few quid each month - it's about the bigger picture for the environment.

"I recycle at home too. I believe in conserving everything as much as possible. People are just becoming wasteful I think.

"They have to realise that we don't have an abundance of resources - we cannot be wasteful."

Leona, a strict vegetarian, wants other young people to stand up for the environment.

She said: "I do think young people are picking it up more and are a bit more wary of what's going on.

"Out of the friends I've grown up with, half are very conscious about it."

For people scared they'll be called a green geek for being passionate about the environment, Leona says: "I couldn't care less what people think of me because I stand up for what I believe in."