The Road to Copenhagen: International Day of Climate Action Reminder

With the Copenhagen climate conference looming closer and closer, activists the world over are preparing to take to the streets during this Saturday's (October 24th) international day of climate action.  The days events are being coordinated by the 350 organization, headed by author Bill McKibben, and there are currently 4,641 events scheduled to take place in 177 countries.  

The 350 Campaign is based upon pressuring governments to commit to emissions reductions that will limit the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million (ppm).  The scientific community has come to the consensus that by doing so, we will be able to stave off the most catastrophic effects of climate change.  Currently the CO2 levels in the atmosphere are at 387 (ppm).  But, over the course of the last two years we here in the US, without really knowing it, have reduced our emissions by 9% (albeit most likely because of the spike in gas prices two summers ago and the recession, but still we have turned a corner).

With an event this big even the Mohawk Valley is involved, and here is where you can go to get in on the action:

In Utica at 420 Madeville St. there will be a rally from 12:05 until 2:05 tomorrow.  The organizers have stated that they want people to bring white artificial roses or signs that stay 350 on them.

In Barneveld, the Unitarian Church is hosting their own event, which will be located on Park Ave.  It takes place from 10-11 AM.

In Hamilton at the Saturday farmers market, from 9 to 1.  They will be having a lot of other activities to coincide with this as well.

I personally will be attending the even here in Edinburgh.  Organizers are going to have a march down the Royal Mile (the main drag) to Holyrood (The Scottish Parliament Building), after which they will be having a rally.  I will try and take some pictures and get them up soon after the event.

This event promises to be huge the world over, and hopefully will put more pressure on the leaders of the world's nations to realize that we need to come to an agreement at Copenhagen to lower our emissions if we want to be able to stem off the worst effects of climate change in the future.  

So get out there and let your voice be heard, I know here in the Mohawk Valley we have a lot of climate skeptics, but if we let our presence be known and are able to give people the scientific facts of what is taking place in our atmosphere, we may be able to persuade them to support reforming our current unsustainable policies.

And if any of our readers are attending these events make sure that you take some pictures and send them to us along with a write up of the event!

Keep on fighting the good fight!