Climate change is now occurring worldwide at a pace that surprises even experts who have been warning of the dangers of high carbon dioxide levels in the air for many years. 350 parts per million is what many scientists, climate experts, and progressive national governments are now saying is the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere.
Accelerating arctic warming and other early climate impacts have led scientists to conclude that we are already above the safe zone at our current 390 ppm, and that unless we are able to rapidly return to 350 ppm this century, we risk reaching tipping points and irreversible impacts such as the melting of the Greenland ice sheet and major methane releases from increased permafrost melt.
Planet Home, a local climate protection group, is inviting all area residents to join us for the Oct. 24 International Day of Climate Action. People and groups can signup to participate at the website www.350eureka.org.
Local organizer Jerry Landrum said www.350eureka.org is an international organization formed to draw attention to the increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the air that threaten the stability of the climate and the future of Earth. Experts say that we need to get back under 350 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide to have a stable climate.
Currently carbon dioxide levels have increased from 275 ppm in the pre industrial age to the current level of 390 ppm. The increase has been caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil.
“The 350.org group includes people from 91 countries around that world who have one thing in common,” Landrum said. “We know the most important number on earth: 350. And we know how to use that number to finally get global action on the worst crisis humans have ever faced.”
Landrum said recently two major organizations representing more than half the countries in the world have signed on to the 350 ppm target for carbon dioxide. The Least Developed Countries and the Alliance of Small Islands States have released a statement demanding that a climate agreement coming out of Copenhagen must actually be bold enough to fix the problem.
The event October 24 is to build public support for the action needed at the United Nations Copenhagen Climate Conference planned Dec. 6-18. The Climate Conference will work to establish a new climate protocol to replace the Kyoto Protocol that runs out in 2012.
Local groups and individuals can get involved by pledging to do a public outreach activity around Oct. 24. For example, organizers hope to get ten churches in the area to each ring their church bells 35 times for a total of 350 rings in solidarity. Schools could have special activities to draw attention to the climate change challenge. And individuals can pledge to take actions such as replacing incandescent lighting with far more energy efficient florescent or LED lighting, or purchasing an Energy Star appliance.
One local organization that has already signed up to participate is Full Bloom Productions, whose Director Jesse Deerwomon has produced a 350 poem that can be heard at www.350eureka.org. A song by Shawn Porter, an organizer of the effort to prevent herbicide spraying on right of ways by Carroll Electric Cooperative, can also be found on the website.
Also, www.350eureka.org is collaborating with Earthdance Eureka Springs to present a 12-hour live webcast performance at the Enthios Art Venue on Greenwood Hollow Road on Sept. 26 with the theme “Bless the Children”.
Marie Turnock, Spider Woman Graphics, has participated in the effort by developing the Website www.eureka350.org.
The Eureka Unitarian Universalist congregation voted unanimously to participate at their recent annual meeting. Several churches including the Unitarians, the Southern Baptists and the Presbyterians have calls for their churches to participate in this event.
Planet Home plans to ask the city to engage in energy audits to improve the energy efficiency of public facilities. Some energy efficient light bulbs will be donated to the city. Public outreach activities are also planned by Planet Home. Any schools, civic groups or churches that are interested in a presentation on climate change and energy conservation can contact Landrum at 253-6963.
Eureka Springs is a “Cool City”, having signed the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement in 2007, the year the arctic melted far greater than it ever had before. Indeed, climate disruption is happening even faster than science had predicted, with recent studies suggesting that catastrophic temperature rise will occur unless we reduce atmospheric CO2 back below 350ppm.
But fools for the carbon lobby we are not, and I see neighbors all around adopting the new super efficient EnergyStar appliances, and LED lighting.
Right now we also need symbolic actions on October 24 International Day of Climate Action to help our President re-establish US leadership and get an international agreement at the UN climate talks in Copenhagen this December.
Please join me for some really fun events here in Eureka Springs on the 24th. Please come out at 10AM and cheer the bike riders climbing Mountain Street. Or watch other riders do 350 laps around the courthouse at 11AM. Listen for church bells ringing on the hour and visit the Planet Home table in Basin Park (you might win a LED lightbulb that will save you $125 in electricity).
Come to the 7 PM Enthios premier showing of the Eureka Green video celebrating the leadership shown by this great city in combating climate disruption. Visit the global website www.350.org. Check up on our plans here in Eureka Springs at www.350eureka.org, or call me at 253-6963.
Jerry Landrum
Oct 24, International Day of Climate Action
Purpose: Set 350ppm CO2 goal in Copenhagen Talks in December
24 OCTOBER 2009 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CLIMATE ACTION Eureka Springs AR
10 a.m. Mountain Street Challenge. Bicyclists who make it from the bottom to the top of Mountain Street win a prize such as an energy efficient light bulb! This bike event is symbolic of the climate mountain ahead of us and the power of people to climb that mountain.
11 a.m. Bicyclists are invited to meet at the Courthouse where ten riders will each ride 35 laps about the Courthouse for a total of 350 laps. The 350 refers to 350 ppm of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere—which scientists say is the upper safe limit.
1-5 p.m. Rousing speeches, a 350 rap poem by Deerwomon, and a 350 song by Shawn Porter are part of the events happening at the top of the hour between live music at Basin Park. Come by and visit the booth of the local climate protection group Planet Home.
3 p.m. Come to be part of a 350 photo that will be uploaded and shown along with similar photos from 349 other sites across the world participating in the event. The photos will be shown at Times Square in New York City.
7 p.m. Enthios Art Venue, Greenwood Hollow Road. Potluck and the premier of Green Eureka, a YouTube video made to highlight the good things being done in Eureka to meet the climate challenge.
For more information, call 253-6969 or visit www.350eureka.org.