Posts tagged climate change

Join Me This Saturday: Int’l Day of Climate Action

October 22, 2009 · Filed under Friends & Family · Tagged , , , , ,

By Mom

Quick follow-up on my last post:
Climate change is an issue close to my heart. Sticking with the status quo will not only affect my generation faster than was previously thought, it will make Archer’s life much harder (if not shorter) than mine – a parent’s worst fear.

This Saturday, 350.org is running the International Day of Climate Action. “350” refers to the parts-per-million level that scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. Right now, we’re around 390 – so we must make a change, globally. A BIG statement will show our leaders that climate change will not be ignored. After all, “nature does not do bailouts.”

So far, over 4,000 gatherings are planned in over 170 countries (that means only 25 countries on earth aren’t participating).
Find an event near you at www.350.org/map.

From 350.org:
President Obama is scheduled to give a major climate speech on Friday, and the Senate is set to hold hearings on its global warming bill on Tuesday1. This will be one of the last best chances to make the support for much stronger efforts unmistakably loud and clear. Your efforts this weekend will be doing double duty–helping with the fight in Copenhagen and also on Capitol Hill.

Greenpeace predicts that Chicago’s event will be the biggest in the United States.
Come be a part of history:
Dvorak Park, near Pilsen’s Fisk Coal Plant (1111 W Cermak.)
This Saturday, October 24th, at 1 pm
Visit “How Green is Chicago?” for more info.

P.S. On Blog Action Day, there were a total of over 31,000 official and unofficial blog posts about climate action!

1 Samuelsohn, Darren, “Obama to Give Senate Climate Bill Push with MIT Speech” http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/10/21/21climatewire-obama-to-give-senate-climate-bill-a-push-wit-53858.html

Comments (2) »

Climate change during my generation

October 15, 2009 · Filed under Friends & Family · Tagged , , , , , ,

By Mom

Before Archer was born, I was under the impression that climate change would only affect the golden years of the next generation and beyond – and I hadn’t imagined what those effects would be.

I’ve learned, through watching The Age of Stupid (at its global premiere last month) and through organizations like Greenpeace, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and 350.org (plus many others) that some horrible things could happen if our world leaders don’t step up at this December’s climate conference in Copenhagen. It’s our greatest (and latest) chance to sign an ambitious new treaty that will save our climate.

The elephant in the room is U.S. participation. We ignored the Kyoto Protocol, and many predict we’ll do the same again. That just can’t happen. The clean air bill in in Washington, though groundbreaking, will not be enough.

The new goal, as agreed among the world’s top climate scientists, is to level out carbon emissions by 2015 – then quickly take them down. This will prevent the earth from reaching an unstable, devastating temperature.

Greenpeace tries to get Obama's attention in Martha's Vineyard

Greenpeace tries to get Obama's attention in Martha's Vineyard

“We have already passed the stage of dangerous climate change. The task now is to prevent catastrophic climate change.”
– Professor John Holdren, now Obama’s Science Advisor, in 2006

tcktcktck_logo_hz_blueTck Tck Tck, a global alliance of non-government organizations, trade unions, faith groups and consumers, is showcasing stories of how climate change is already affecting us. Check out more facts from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. Still a skeptic?

Chicagoans, stand with me on Climate Action Day:
Saturday, October 24th.

I’ll be at the demonstration outside the Fisk Coal plant – Dvorak Park, near 1111 W Cermak – 1 to 4pm. Hundreds will attend to encourage President Obama to lead the world to a new international treaty that will avert the impact of climate change. Please RSVP on Facebook or get more information.

Not in Chicago? Visit 350.org to find Climate Action Day events near you.

By the way, I posted this because it’s Blog Action Day!

Leave a comment »