Sunday, February 25, 2007
What else you can do to stop global warming
From Mark -- tj
NATIONAL DAY OF CLIMATE CHANGE---
The following letter is from my friend Paul Birkeland who is helping to organize a
National Day of Climate Change. We live in exciting times:
Dear family & friends,
If you've wondered what else you can do to stop global warming from darkening our future, here's an answer. We are on the verge of winning the first battle over global warming - the battle against ignorance and denial. The second battle is setting up now. The second battle is to make sure that the emissions reduction bar is set high enough. This is the battle that will define our age.
Scientists have estimated that if we reduce our production of greenhouse gasses by 80% by 2050, we can avoid the most disastrous consequences of global warming. The fact is that individual response is necessary to reach this goal, but not enough. Collective action is also necessary. Our society and economy are structured in such a way that an 80% reduction is out of reach without an act of collective will. The National Day of Climate Action is a chance for people to demand that their elected officials commit to an 80% reduction in greenhouse gasses by 2050, and to take the steps necessary to get there.
If we're going to make the kind of change we need in the short time left us, we need something that looks like the civil rights movement, and we need it now. Changing light bulbs just isn't enough. Events include marches and rallies as well as street theater, banner hangings, film showings, and other means of making this demand known. Events involve schools, churches, community groups, and other grassroots organizations. WE NEED YOUR VOICE! You can help in three ways:
1) MARK THE DATE AND PLAN TO BE THERE!
Find an action near you (Check one of the websites below) and plan to attend. Bring friends and family.
2) BROADCAST THIS MESSAGE
Send this message to everyone you know who cares about our planet, our children, our farms, our forests, and our society. If you are part of any group, be it church, social justice group, parents group, what have you, please forward this to other members of your group. We want a massive turnout.
3) TAKE ACTION
Find an action you can help with from the web sites below, or start your own action relevant to you or your group. Global warming is an issue of food security, health care, social justice, and world peace. Everyone is invested in stopping it. The policy changes and economic restructuring necessary to
stave off the worst impacts of global warming on our kids will not happen unless we make it happen. This is the time to take the first step and make your demand for action known. Join us.
Paul Birkeland
http://www.StepItUpSeattle.org
Some of the options of what you can do might fall outside of your comfort zone. At least consider them. Do what you can and realize that we are all connected. This problem will affect us all whether it's convient or not.
