Why it matters:
Because the October 24th International Day for Climate Action was wildly popular, carried as the top story on “CNN, The New York Times, Le Monde, Google News, and on and on all around the world.” But it can’t end there.
Recap:
This past Saturday, October 24th, at 3:50 PM, people from all over the world stood up – and kayaked, and climbed mountains, and went scuba diving – to be counted. But what did these demonstrators have in common? Why, the number 350 of course!
Confused? Then you haven’t read our piece on 350.org. For shame.
This coming December, policy-makers from around the world will be gathering in Copenhagen to don Viking helmets and guzzle flagons of mead– No, wait, they will be gathering in Copenhagen for the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference to negotiate world-wide climate policy.
Apart from a few delusional nay-sayers, it’s widely understood that climate change is real, and that man-made emissions (stop giggling, you know what I mean!), especially CO2, are to blame. Well, we’re on the proverbial rocket-car to hell. James Hansen, the NASA scientist credited with discovering global warming, sums up our predicament nicely, “If humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted, paleoclimate evidence and ongoing climate change suggest that CO2 will need to be reduced from its current 385 parts per million to at most 350 parts per million.” (350.org, get it?)
That’s what Saturday’s events were all about, influencing those mead-swilling, Copenhagen-bound policy-makers. And with 5200 demonstrations taking place in 181 countries, and widespread media coverage, it may just have succeeded.
Commentary:
Now, we can just sit back and wait for the comprehensive reform that will save us and life as we know it!
Right?
I don’t know about you, but I’m quite happy with the planet that gave birth to civilization. I say, if it’s good enough for the guys that developed agriculture, then it’s good enough for me. So, no, we can’t just sit back.
In fact, the 350.org team has presented to the chief of the UN’s Secretary General Ban Ki Moon with a book documenting the breadth and fervor of the 350 movement. And early next month the group will be attending the final UN Climate meeting before the December talks to present UN delegates with more 350.org photos and videos.
But if you don’t plan on spending the next couple weeks in Spain, you can have 350.org materials sent to your local representatives by going here.
And there’s always…
Creative Solutions:
- Join 350.org
- Follow Bill McKibben on Twitter
- Go see “No Impact Man”
- Get Yourself the 350.org Twitter Widget (Twidget?)
- Show 350 love on Twitter with a Twibbon
