350 Actions This Saturday
By Shawn Dell Joyce
The “safe” level of carbon emissions in the atmosphere is 350 parts per million (ppm), according to NASA scientist James Hansen. We are currently at 385ppm. “Safe” meaning avoiding the most disastrous effects of climate change like sea level rise that swallows the world’s coastlines, and a radical redistribution of ground water making farmlands into deserts. Basically, we are making our home inhospitable to humans and most other species on our planet.
This Saturday, October 24, will be the most widespread day of environmental action in the planet’s history. “The International Day of Climate Action will cover almost 162 countries, with over 1700 big rallies in big cities, and incredible creative actions across the globe: mountain climbers on our highest peaks with banners, underwater demonstrations in island nations threatened by sea level rise, churches and mosques and synagogues and ashrams engaged in symbolic action, star athletes organizing mass bike rides—and hundreds upon hundreds of community events to raise awareness of the need for urgent action,” according to organizers.
For a carbon-fat country like ours to get back to the 350 safe zone means transforming ourselves. “It means building solar arrays instead of coal plants, it means planting trees instead of clear-cutting rainforests, it means increasing efficiency and decreasing our waste,” says the 350 organizers.
Part of the impetus for the International Day of Climate Action is the global treaty currently being hashed out in time for signing at the United Nations Climate Negotiations in Copenhagen this December. Copenhagen may well be the pivotal moment that determines whether or not we get the planet out of the climate crisis, and many activist believe the current treaty to be too weak to reduce current emissions to the 350 safety zone.
Take part in one of these local events and add your voice to the world chorus.
Shawn Dell Joyce is a sustainable activist and artist, and founder of the Wallkill River School in Montgomery, NY. www.WallkillRiverSchool.com
SIDEBAR:
- Students at Heritage Junior High School in New Windsor are “wearing the green” and educating each other and teachers through posters and information posted throughout the school.
- Sustainable Warwick has peppered Warwick stores signs reading “What’s 350? Ask inside.” Handouts inside the stores explain briefly what 350 means. On Saturday Sustainable Warwick members will parade around town in costumes explaining the importance of reducing atmospheric CO2.
- The Hudson Highlands Nature Museum, Outdoor Discovery Center presents “Rise to the Challenge of the Climate Crisis and take a STEP for Climate Change.” Featuring original music by Lydia Adams Davis, a talk about “Climate Change and the Hudson Highlands with live animals,” a pledge and “350” photo you can take part in.
- Hikers are hiking up Mt. Eve in beautiful Warwick, to erect a 350 banner at the top of the mountain.
- The Orange County Peace & Justice Coalition is holding an old fashioned “demonstration” in support of the 350 mission, to promote the urgency that the December Copenhagen treaty meet the 350 parts per million goal and to educate the public to unite around solutions to the climate crisis. From 1-3pm in Middletown on North Galleria Drive off Rte 211, close to the railroad station entrance to Galleria, on the grassy strip between the traffic.
- The Cornwall Environmental Club, community members, school faculty and politicians will walk through Cornwall wearing green sweatshirts with “350” painted on the back collecting garbage in Orange Bags. The group will go to the Cornwall Central High School and lay out Orange garbage bags in the number “350.”
- Hudson House participants will pick up 350 pieces of garbage off Broadway in Newburgh, NY
- Newburgh Free Library hosts a “teach-in” from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm with:
– Awakening the Dreamer: an introduction to bringing forth an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, socially just human presence on our planet. Presented by Courtni Hale of the Pachamama Alliance
– “Eat Local” presentation by Shawn Dell Joyce, Wallkill River School from 4-4:30. Cure our “national eating disorder” and find out how we can change our food system to be more local and sustainable. “The single most important thing you can do to curb climate change in Orange County is to become a locavore” says Joyce.
– Solar Car and Newburgh Free Academy solar team
– Honey bees and their importance to our local agriculture by Animal Hughes - There will be a rally and petition drive in Monroe, NY with the goal to obtain at least 350 signatures for a petition demanding the United States government adopt the 350 goal from 11 till noon.
- The Wallkill River School, in the heart of historic Montgomery, will display 350 artist-made prayer flags depicting reasons to curb climate change. To submit your own prayer flag, paint it on 11×14 fabric and drop it off between 9am-6pm Tues.-Sun.
- At the Tuxedo Ridge Ski Center, we will meet at the bottom of the bunny hill at 1:00 pm and will form the numbers 350 with people. This photo op will be uploaded to 350.org.
- Hathorn Farm is sponsoring a lecture by Andrew Faust to address how various aspects of Permaculture can actively and effectively mitigate our Carbon Footprint with simple, low-tech, bottom-up solutions that EVERYONE can apply in their daily lives. From 1-2pm at Tuscan Cafe 5 1/2 South St., Warwick, NY
- Orange Environment, Inc. is sponsoring “A Conversation On Climate Change and How It Affects the Hudson Valley” by Dr. Sacha Spector, Conservation Science Director for Scenic Hudson. He will address the issue of global warming in the Hudson Valley and discuss the region’s most biologically important sites for natural resource management and future restoration based on ecologically-based best practices. $3 donation requested at Tuscan Café, 5 ½ South Street, Warwick, NY
- The Town of Cornwall Conservation Advisory Council will be planting trees to help reduce atmospheric CO2 to less than 350.
- The Newburgh Free Academy Is doing a count-down on school TV every morning and will do interviews of students and teachers to get their thoughts on “350.” Cards that say “Target – 350,” with signatures of students, faculty and parents will be posted on the school wall in the shape of 350.
- The Ramapo Catskill Group, Sierra Club is collecting 350 names on the Stop Climate Change petitions to be sent to our Federal Representative and President Obama asking for an international treaty that will bring atmospheric CO2 levels to below 350 parts per million.
Shawn@zestoforange.com
Tags: Shawn Dell
