This year the topic for Blog Action Day is Climate Change. If enough bloggers participate, perhaps more attention will be brought to this all important issue and to the international climate negotiations scheduled for December in Copenhagen.
I have decided to write about 350.org’s International Day of Climate Action scheduled for October 24th. Alex and I will be attending in Philadelphia and hopefully there will be one in your area.
Most climate experts and scientists believe 350 parts per million is the upper limit for the safe amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. This is where 350.org gets it’s name. We are currently at 390 parts per million so it imperative that the this amount is reduced. The event is scheduled for October 24th because that is 6 weeks before the scheduled climate talks in Copenhagen.
Go to 350.org, select Search for Actions near me, and then enter your location. Events are scheduled all over so unless you live in a very remote area, you should be able to fine one.
The event in Philadelphia sounds educational and fun. Katherine Gajewski, Director of the Philadelphia Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, will be speaking and the keynote speaker will be Ray Anderson, radical industrialist and author of Confessions of a Radical Industrialist. After the speakers, participants will form the 350 graphic shown at the top of the page. After the even there will be a book signing with Ray Anderson.
I will readily admit that I am cynical about rallies. They generate a lot of garbage, give people a false sense of having done something worthwhile, and are almost always under-reported by the mainstream media. I am looking at this event, however, as an educational experience for my daughter and as an opportunity to spend time with like-minded people. To make some real personal changes, I recommend reading the pdf for No Impact Week inspired by No Impact Man. It isn’t necessary to do everything in the pdf but we can start with small changes such as not using plastic water bottles, having a meat free day and driving less. No Impact Week formally starts this Sunday October 18th but I see no reason why it can’t be integrated into our lives at any time.
Will any of you be participating in the International Day for Climate Action or No Impact Week. I would love to hear about your experiences.
photo credit: 350org
Awesome, Kim!
They picked a great topic for this year and you picked a really great cause to write about.
Hope you guys have a good time at the rally!
Hi Jim – You should go to it – Alex wants to be in the 5.
I thought for sure you would say something about my rally cynicism. ;-)
You did a great job here, Kim. Thank you for highlighting this issue. I am not participating this year.
.-= vered | blogger for hire´s last blog ..Did Karl Lagerfeld Just Call Me Fat? =-.
Hi Vered – Thanks! I almost didn’t participate … I wasn’t paying attention and forgot about it until last weekend. And then I had no idea what to write about.
Thank you for sharing this information, I am now looking to see what is available in our area.
I wrote for today’s blog day too – something very personal from my kid’s eyes and learning.
I also saw the computer read out of our solar panels on a cloudy day – last Sunday – we save 70# of carbon emissions (like 41 computers being on all day) even without sunshine and with 2 huge trees blocking the panels for 2 hours…A 1/3 of all the power we have used so far in 1 month has come from our 12 panels. We participated in National Solar ORG. last month – an eye opener for me
Thanks for this good report and action
.-= Patricia´s last blog ..Jeepers Peepers – Where Have You Guys Gone? =-.
Hi Patricia – Thanks! And that is so awesome about the solar panels :-) I’m off to check out your article now.
Hey Kim,
I also made a post about the climate change. This Blog acion days is a novel beginning that makes the people come together and raise a voice for a cause as one.
I have heard about 350.org in the past but wasn’t aware of its presence all over. I a will check it out straight away.
Thanks for this post.
.-= Ravi Kuwadia´s last blog ..Never Give Up Even When Goals Fail? =-.
Hi Ravi – Maybe there will be a 350 celebration near where you live – my daughter is really excited about going :-)
Good reasons to be cynical about rallies but this one will hopefully not produce garbage since people who are participating are concerned about a clean environment and with Oct 24th being an international day of climate action, the media, hopefully, will spread the word about how important climate action really is.
Hi Michelle – I hope so. :-) Maybe I should take photos post-rally and see how the conditions are.