.org // Because the world needs to know is the red line for human beings, the most important number on the planet. The most recent science tells us that unless we can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million, we will cause huge and irreversible damage to the earth. But solutions exist. All around the world, a movement is building to take on the climate crisis, to get humanity out of the danger zone and below 350. This movement is massive, it is diverse, and it is visionary. We are activists, scholars, and scientists. We are leaders in our businesses, our churches, our governments, and our schools. We are clean energy advocates, forward-thinking politicians, and fearless revolutionaries. And we are united around the world, driven to make our planet livable for all who come after us. We are everywhere, and together we are unstoppable.
// The Bad News. The science is clear: global warming is happening faster than ever and humans are responsible. Global warming is caused by releasing what are called greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The most common greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide. The planet is in its danger zone because we’ve poured too much carbon into the atmosphere, and we’re starting to see signs of real trouble: melting ice caps, rapidly spreading drought. Many of the activities we do every day like turn the lights on, cook food, or heat or cool our homes rely on energy sources like coal and oil that emit carbon dioxide and other heattrapping gases. This is a major problem because global warming destabilizes the delicate balance that makes life on this planet possible. Just a few degrees in temperature can completely change the world as we know it, and threaten the lives of millions of people around the world. We need to scramble back as quickly as we can to safety.
350 is the number that leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide--measured in “Parts Per Million” in our atmosphere. 350 PPM-it is the number humanity needs to get back to as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change. We need an international agreement to reduce carbon emissions fast. The United Nations is working on a treaty, which is supposed to be completed in December of 2009 at a conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. But the current plans for the treaty are much too weak to get us back to safety. This treaty needs to put a high enough price on carbon that we stop using so much. It also needs to make sure that poor countries are ensured a fair chance to develop.
// The Good News Don’t give up hope! You can help stop global warming by taking action and spreading the number 350. Getting back to 350 means transforming our world. 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. Getting to 350 means developing a thousand different solutions--all of which will become much easier if we have a global treaty grounded in the latest science and built around the principles of equity and justice. To get this kind of treaty, we need a movement of people who care enough about our shared global future to get involved and make their voices heard.
We are all those people. If we can make the number 350 known across the planet, that mere fact will exert some real pressure on negotiators. We need people to understand that 350 marks either success or failure for these climate negotiations. It’s not an easy fight—the other side has the power of the fossil fuel industry. But we think the voice of ordinary people will be heard, if it’s loud enough.
// Our Mission. Our first job is to make sure everyone knows the target so that our political leaders feel real pressure to act. Reaching 350 ppm will require unprecedented international cooperation. 350. org will bring millions of new voices to the table, united by our common call to action. Together, we will redefine the possible and rally the world behind the solutions that science and justice demand. Join us today.
// Our Vision. Where do we go from here? Our first step is to wean ourselves from coal and oil, and we have to do it while still allowing the poor parts of the world to develop in a sustainable way. We can do this by creating a global clean energy economy that is strong enough to lift the world's poor out of poverty. It won't be easy, and there are many possible approaches. We need to act swiftly, however—this is the greatest crisis human civilization faces.
// Who we are. We are a small, youth-led team from around the world, and we need your help. In the next two years we want to embed the number 350 deeply in public consciousness—make it ubiquitous across societies, languages, and ideologies.
We will rely on partners and individuals around the globe who can help share this number. 350. org is not a new organization, but a dynamic, short-term campaign. We hope that our website, materials and entire campaign will help organizations and individuals collaborate in new ways while staying true to their core values and objectives.
// How You Can Get Involved. Solving the climate crisis means first and foremost taking action in our own lives and in our communities. If we can convince our neighbors, friends and families that climate change is the single most important issue facing civilization today, our leaders will listen. So get active! Organize a 350 event in your community on October 24, the International Day of Climate Action - a presentation, a bike ride or walk, an art project or a tree planting whatever resonates with the people you know. Register your event at 350.org/oct24, bring your community together, call local media and let your leaders know what you're planning. Get as many people as you can to come to the event, and document it. Make sure that the number 350 is displayed visually in a photo or video, and then head back to 350.org/takeaction to upload the images. You've just joined hundreds of thousands of people all over the planet taking action to ensure a safe climate and a just future.
// Pass it On. We need to create the biggest, most powerful movement we can in an incredible short window of time. We will connect actions all around the world and make them add up to more than the sum of their parts - but we don't have all the ideas and all the inspiration. We need yours. Visit 350.org and share the message online, or send a 350 postcard to your friends, family and neighbors. Together we can solve the climate crisis.
Study Abroad with 350 // Where can you start? Internships Internships are great opportunities to use professional networks to organize a 350 action. Many Middlebury and non-Middlebury programs abroad give credit for in-country internships Submit your resume, cover letter and internship application to the study abroad office in advance of your semester and coordinators will help pair you with an organization (http://www.middlebury.edu/academics/sa/internships/). Sustainability grants Middlebury College offers Sustainable Study Abroad Grants up to $500. Students may use grants for research projects or participating in events or projects related to sustainability issues. Stacey Thebodo in the Middlebury Study Abroad office is a great contact for more information on these grants and is enthusiastic about 350 projects (http://www.middlebury.edu/academics/ump/sap/sustainable/grants.htm). Online social networking Green Passport is a social networking site dedicated to sustainable study abroad. It’s a great place to find other study abroad students interested in 350 (Add the 350 Study Abroad group on http://www.greenpassport.us). Find us on Facebook! Join the 350 Study Abroad group now and invite people you meet when you go abroad. 350.org is the hub for the International Day of Climate Action. You can find more ideas, connect with actions already occurring in your host countries, and broadcast 350 actions to the world!
// Action Ideas Walk, March, Bike, or Rally: Visibly walking through your community shows movement and solidarity with the cause. Ending at an iconic site (a monument, mountain, hill, river, temple, park -- you know what's best for your place) with speakers and musicians is a great way to spread the word while having a good time. Teach-In: Do some online research about global warming and invite your participants to learn more about the issue and discuss why 350 is such a critical benchmark for international action on this issue. Sports: Bring a soccer ball, football, Frisbee, and invite everyone to play a game outside! Music: Encourage local musicians and participants to bring instruments and create music. Invite Government Officials: Who in your host country has influence on climate policy? October 24 will be a great day to directly engage government officials and call for real action on climate change. Student Action: Students play a huge role in any social movement. Their creative and tech-savvy contributions give a strong base of energy for our elders. Volunteering: Help weatherize buildings in your community, construct new pedestrian or cycle paths, or run any service project that works towards getting CO2 back below 350 ppm. Art Installation: Provide art supplies and invite your participants to create art—maybe something that speaks of the importance of your iconic place. Letter writing: Encourage your participants to sign and/or write letters to government officials to formally adopt the 350 ppm CO2 target. Faith Celebrations: Connections between the world's diverse religions and the issue of global warming are numerous and strike a strong moral chord. This is a great way to gather people who already have a community in which they discuss the big questions—now is the chance to talk about global warming.
// Advice from Study Abroad returnees Work with children: Schools are great places to interact with kids, build language skills, and plan a 350 action. Keep it local: People sometimes do “green” things because they are politically cheap and make sense for the elite global community. The challenge is to try and connect climate change action with practical goals that fit local needs. Keep it real: It is important to form relationships before addressing the issue: take care not to take advantage of people’s willingness to participate in public actions that may not contain deeper relevance for their community. Explore: 350 is a great way to visit new places and learn unexpected things in your host country. For example, organic farms in southern France or solar-powered communities in China take you off the beaten path and into the diverse range of experiences with global climate change.
// Region-specific considerations Latin America: Political demonstrations are common and effective means of popular expression. Many people see resource and energy-related issues as economic rather than environmental problems. Climatechange actions will depend more on organizational efforts rather than sparking interest. Europe: Student activism and protests are vibrant and climate change is a growing source of concern. Urban centers may be difficult entry points for a study-abroad student trying to meet local youth. Engaging those youth through political activism may make cultural immersion easier and more long-lasting. Africa: Many students returned from African nations report that climate change affects people in clear and dramatic ways. Nonetheless, people have specific priorities that often do not include climate change as an abstract idea. Study-abroad students should look towards existing organizations and frameworks already engaging with agricultural and resource-related issues. China: Students returning from mainland China advise that radical political or social action will not yield the best results. Climate change should be framed explicitly as an environmental problem rather than a political issue—the subtleties of the political atmosphere require sensitivity but should not discourage active engagement. Local students often mobilize around fundraising for common causes. While the internet may help establish networks between foreign and local students, personal interactions will best generate curiosity about climate change and 350.
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