Bill McKibben: Global Warming's Terrifying New Math

If the pictures of those towering wildfires in Colorado haven't convinced you, or the size of your AC bill this summer, here are some hard numbers about climate change: June broke or tied 3,215 high-temperature records across the United States. That followed the warmest May on record for the Northern Hemisphere – the 327th consecutive month in which the temperature of the entire globe exceeded the 20th-century average, the odds of which occurring by simple chance were 3.7 x 10-99, a number considerably larger than the number of stars in the universe.

Bill McKibben and the 350 Team's Global Strategies for 2011

Bill McKibben and the 350 team's conference call on April 3, 2011, involved organizers from all over the world including Brunei, Ghana, Sweden, Spain, England, the Maldives, Italy, Canada, India, Germany, Abu Dhabi, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Georgia, Burundi, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and South Africa. During this call, the 350.org team also shared their regional strategies for 2011.

Sarah Rifaat, the mideast coordinator based in Cairo, and the newest member of the 350.org team, said "this is a very exciting time for Egypt." The aspirations of the 350 team are truly global in scope. As Rifaat explained, "Everyone, no matter where they come from have common desires," she said in the conference call. She went on to say that this is an opportunity for more social movements to happen in Egypt and other countries in the Middle East and around the world.

In additon to the "Moving Planet" campaign, The 350 team has plans for various regions around the globe in 2011. Chaitanya Kumar from Hyderabad, India, described the 350 goal of putting pressure on governments. The South Asia 350 coordinator indicated that their goal is to encourage grassroots activism against coal fired power emissions as well as redefining development.

African initiatives will urge people to take to the streets. Due to the fact that Africa has some of the highest unemployment rates in the world, the emphasis will be on climate jobs and local significance of 350.org.

All regions including the Pacific and Europe are pushing for renewable energy laws and sustainable transportation.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Bill McKibbon and the 350 Team's "Moving Planet" Campaign

On April 3rd, 2011, Bill McKibben and the 350 team gave organizers advanced insight into the new campaign known as "Moving Planet" in a global conference call. As explained by McKibben, it is time to get moving because governments around the world have failed to take legislative action curtailing carbon dioxide (C02). this new day of global action scheduled for September 24, 2011.

The lack of climate change legislation in the US is the single biggest obstacle to global action. Mass action is required as a counter-force to the fossil fuel industry which is aggressively lobbying US lawmakers.

Bill McKibbon joined the conference call from his home in Vermont. Bill started by thanking everyone, he went on to say that he expects this year to be "the most exciting year yet," in global efforts to reign in climate change causing CO2.

The 350 team has organized some remarkable events over the last two years including last year's Global Work Party and a solid understanding of the science behind the number 350 as the upper safe limit for CO2.

This year's "Moving Planet" campaign emphasizes the need to be in motion, it asks people to move with purpose to deliver a global demand for action on climate change. For 24 hours on September 24th, people will be in motion with a common message designed to make things move in the fight against climate change.

A variety of low carbon transportation mediums will be used for this event including bicycles, skateboards and canoes. Whether you walk, run, cycle or ride, people are asked to move with purpose. The campaign will also explore the meaning of 350 in specific places all around the world.

This has got to be the year when we get that motion underway. The effort to engage the battle against climate change is the biggest fight we have ever faced and solidarity is extraordinarily important

As this is an advanced preview, the "Moving Planet" website is not yet up and running but it will be up in a couple of weeks, at which point everyone can sign up for the 2011 campaign.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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The Next Big Thing from Bill McKibben and the 350.org Team

On Sunday, April 3rd, 2011, The Green Market's Richard Matthews joined Bill McKibben and the 350 team in a global organizing conference call. During this hour long call, Bill McKibben and the 350 team shared their biggest, most ambitious plan yet, the next big idea for the climate movement in 2011.

The 350.org team has organized some extraordinary things in the last couple of years including The International Day of Climate Action in 2009, which CNN called "the most widespread day of political action the world has ever seen" and last year's 10/10/10 event.

350 is an independent non-profit global movement that derives its name from the upper safe limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Scientists say that 350 parts per million (ppm), is the number humanity needs to get below as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change. 350's goal is to spread a scientific understanding of the climate crisis and a shared vision for equitable solutions.

The "Next Big Thing" will take this movement to the next level. This event calls for an unprecedented wave of climate action that includes a clear set of ambitious demands.

To become part of the movement, visit www.350.org/signup, become a fan of 350.org on facebook.com/350org and follow them on twitter by visiting twitter.com/350.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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