What is the significance of the number 350?
Well, it signifies 350 parts per million, which is what many scientists, climate experts, and progressive national governments are now saying is the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. That's the last number you need to know, and the most important. It's the safety zone for planet earth.
As James Hansen of America's National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the first scientist to warn about global warming more than two decades ago, wrote recently, "If humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted, paleoclimate evidence and ongoing climate change suggest that CO2 will need to be reduced from its current 385 ppm to at most 350 ppm."
This will be a hard task, but not impossible! We need to stop taking carbon out of the ground and putting it into the air. Above all, that means we need to stop burning so much coal—and start using solar and wind energy and other such sources of renewable energy –while ensuring the Global South a fair chance to develop. If we do, then the earth’s soils and forests will slowly cycle some of that extra carbon out of the atmosphere, and eventually CO2 concentrations will return to a safe level. By decreasing use of other fossil fuels, and improving agricultural and forestry practices around the world, scientists believe we could get back to 350 by mid-century. But the longer we remain in the danger zone—above 350—the more likely that we will see disastrous and irreversible climate impacts.
350 is a relatively new target being discussed in the scientific community, compared to 450ppm or 2 degrees Celsius that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change supports. Currently many policy-makers, institutions, and NGOs are still supporting targets that are out of date and greatly increase the risk of catastrophic climatic changes.
THIS IS WHERE WE COME IN!
350 Rallies are going to be taking place worldwide on October 24th! Locally, UAlbany is participating with schools from around the area; local activists; concerned citizen groups; and many others, to show our support by exercising our First Amendment right in hopes of garnering attention for the next meeting of the United Nations conference that is held for world leaders where they meet to discuss what to do to about the global threat of climate change this meeting will be in December 2009: Copenhagen, Denmark. There, delegates, non-governmental organizations, and businesses from every nation will meet to finalize a new global climate change agreement.
We need volunteers to help spread the word and help with activities. We also ask faculty to try and incorporate information into classes leading up to the event.
Planned Activities:
-Interest Meeting (time to be announced) and sign making to take place.
-Also a bus should be provided for everyone if not we have the CDTA for free!
-Before the event there will be a 15 mile bike ride starting at the Corning Preserve in hopes to get 350 bicyclists to ride to the Capitol. If you are interested in riding, but can’t do 15 miles the coordinator, Clare Nolan, agreed to pick up interested parties at the Science Library at 1:30 to come along for the ride, but I would need those interested in the short ride to contact us ahead of time.
-Speakers thus far: Ward Stone, NY state pathologist; Neil Breslin, State Senator; Oliver Holmes, RPI Professor; Carol Butt, Scientist; and many other potential speakers.
-Music, and Tabling
-At 3:50 we will form a human “350” on the Capitol Steps for a photograph for the 350.org for Bill McKibben who is a writer, activist, and co-founder of 350.org. A scholar-in-residence at Middlebury College, McKibben is the author of The End of Nature, the first book for a general audience on climate change. |
