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PDF versionThe big day for 350.org
by Teresa Malcolm on Oct. 23, 2009
This Saturday, Oct. 24, is the big day -- across every time zone -- for 350.org. Founded to give a voice to ordinary people across the globe in advance of the U.N. climate change meeting in Copenhagen this December, the 350 campaign has been building to this Global Day of Climate Action, Oct. 24. The symbol, and the message, is a number: 350 parts per million, what scientists say is the safe limit of CO2 in the atmosphere for life to continue as human beings have known it.
We are currently at 387 and rising, 350.org says. It won't be easy to reverse the trend, but it's not impossible. As 350.org cofounder Bill McKibben said last month when I heard him speak at St. Philip Neri Parish in Portland, Ore., what we need is the political will to make the necessary changes -- and political will is something millions of voices around the world can go a long way toward generating.
The day begins with a rally at dawn next to a wind turbine in New Zealand, and will move across the planet, where more than 4,000 events in 170 countries are planned. Some of the planned actions include:
- A cross-continent collaborative art project will form giant 3s, 5s and 0s.
- Churches have agreed to ring their bells 350 times.
- Villagers in a remote, drought-stricken region of Somalia will demonstrate 350 solar cookers.
- In Bolivia, indigenous Aymara shamans will hold a ceremony where the glacier Chacaltaya disappeared earlier this year.
- Palestinians, Jordanians and Israelis will form a trans-boundary 350 on the shore of the shrinking Dead Sea.
- Hundreds of citizens of the endangered island nation of the Maldives will form an underwater 350. (Last week, the Maldives' President Mohamed Nasheed held a cabinet meeting underwater to sign a declaration calling for action on climate change.)
Vice President Mohamed Waheed of the Maldives holds a 350 sign by corals after the underwater cabinet meeting on Oct. 17.
When I heard McKibben talk about 350.org, I knew I wanted to be a part of this moment. So I'll be joining the rally here in Kansas City, Mo. Want to join in? You can find a local action by going to 350.org/action-list and entering your city into the search.
NCR: February 3-16, 2012
Subscribe to NCR to get all the news and special features that aren't always available online. In this issue:
- US News: Bishops Host Conference on Immigration
Conference fields advocates' questions on law, policy
- Special Section: Deacons. Serving as parish administrator; roles of wives; and more
- Study: Black Catholics are more engaged
New study by Notre Dame researcher about parish involvement in America
Let's get things moving on
Let's get things moving on Oct 24th and keep it going. Can we get 350 people to care, really care. Care enough to use less energy! Care enough to live a green lifestyle.
Learn the facts about 350 and talk about it often.
We got the information late, we plan a small event but given Oct 24, 2010 is a year away we need to keep a watch on 350 in Canada to celebrate next year. Pam
President Mohamed
President Mohamed Nasheed
"Now the world has an opportunity to come together and prevent the looming environmental catastrophe. That opportunity is called Copenhagen. And let’s be very frank about this: Copenhagen can be one of two things. It can be an historic event where the world unites against carbon pollution, in a collective spirit of co-operation and collaboration. Or, Copenhagen can be a suicide pact. The choice is that stark."
I suppose the fact that
I suppose the fact that global temperatures are dropping means nothing, eh? I offer for the consideration of rational folks the following from www.climatedepot.com
"Earth's 'Fever' Breaks! Global temperatures 'have plunged .74°F since Gore released An Inconvenient Truth'
June 2009 saw another drop in global temps
"Sunday, July 05, 2009By Marc Morano – Climate Depot
The latest global averaged satellite temperature data for June 2009 reveals yet another drop in the Earth's temperature. This latest drop in global temperatures means despite his dire warnings, the Earth has cooled .74°F since former Vice President Al Gore released "An Inconvenient Truth" in 2006.
"According to the latest data courtesy of algorelied.com: "For the record, this month's Al Gore / 'An Inconvenient Truth' Index indicates that global temperatures have plunged approximately .74°F (.39°C) since Gore's film was released." (see satellite temperature chart here with key dates noted, courtesy of www.Algorelied.com - The global satellite temperature data comes from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Also see: 8 Year Downtrend Continues in Global Temps)
"Gore -- who is fond of saying the Earth has a "fever" -- has not yet addressed the simple fact that global temperatures have dropped since the release of his global warming film. (Gore has also not addressed this: Another Moonwalker Defies Gore: NASA Astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin rejects global warming fears: 'Climate has been changing for billions of years' - Moonwalkers Defy Gore's Claim That Climate Skeptics Are Akin To Those Who Believe Moon Landing was 'Staged')
"A record cool summer has descended upon many parts of the U.S. after predictions of the "year without a summer." There has been no significant global warming since 1995, no warming since 1998 and global cooling for the past few years.
"In addition, New peer-reviewed scientific studies now predict a continued lack of global warming for up to three decades as natural climate factors dominate. (See: Climate Fears RIP...for 30 years!? - Global Warming could stop 'for up to 30 years! Warming 'On Hold?...'Could go into hiding for decades' study finds – Discovery.com – March 2, 2009 )
"This means that today's high school kids being forced to watch Al Gore's “An Inconvenient Truth” – some of them 4 times in 4 different classes – will be nearly eligible for AARP (age 50) retirement group membership by the time warming resumes if these new studies turn out to be correct. (Editor's Note: Claims that warming will “resume” due to explosive heat in the "pipeline" have also been thoroughly debunked. See: Climatologist Dr. Roger Pielke Sr. 'There is no warming in the pipeline' )."
Its interesting 350.org
Its interesting 350.org places such a focus on extreme fear mongering. When groups place the focus on staged theatrics it means the science for their argument is not just lacking but negligible. In fact the polar bears are flourishing not dying. Scientists at AccuWeather tell us the wild fires in California were not global warming or cooling but a natural event that occurs when the water off the coast cools from time to time. In Spain the creation of "green jobs" has cost hundreds of thousands of regular jobs increasing unemployment. True social justice demands a clear reliable examination of the actual facts, come up with reasonable-not hysterical-solutions and ensure employment is NOT compromised. The environment we can all agree is something we should all care for but remember that the human person is an integral part of the world environment and not an outside parasite to be controlled or even destroyed. True social justice focuses on the human person.
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