October 24th is '350 Day' Save Our Planet

What is 350 Day? Saturday, October 24th, 2009 is The International Day of Climate Action. There will be more than 4,000 events in 170 countries throughout the world in which active and passionate consumers call upon world leaders to reduce carbon levelsd in the atmosphere to a safe level of 350 parts per million and to raise consciousness urging all humans to act environmentally conservative. It is the largest collective display of action to flight climate change the world has ever seen. Our current atmospheric CO2 level is presently 390 parts per million.

In December world leaders will gather in Copenhagen where a global treaty reducing carbon emissions will be drafted. We must do our part!

Here are some local activities this weekend in New Jersey:

Caldwell "CAI Walk for Israel to Support Environmental Education"

Livingston: "350 Climate Rally"

Newark: "Eco Green Shabbat", "International Day of Climate Action"

Englewood "350 Bells from First Plymouth Church"

West Orange “Recycle Swap and Shop”

Springfield: Bike 350!: Biking into Clean Energy

According to 350.0rg.......

What does the number 350 mean?

350 is the most important number in the world--it's what scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Two years ago, after leading climatologists observed rapid ice melt in the Arctic and other frightening signs of climate change, they issued a series of studies showing that the planet faced both human and natural disaster if atmospheric concentrations of CO2 remained above 350 parts per million.

Everyone from Al Gore to the U.N.’s top climate scientist has now embraced this goal as necessary for stabilizing the planet and preventing complete disaster. Now the trick is getting our leaders to pay attention and craft policies that will put the world on track to get to 350.

Is 350 scientifically possible?

Right now, mostly because we’ve burned so much fossil fuel, the atmospheric concentration of co2 is 390 ppm—that’s way too high, and it’s why ice is melting, drought is spreading, forests are dying. To bring that number down, the first task is to stop putting more carbon into the atmosphere. That means a very fast transition to sun and wind and other renewable forms of power. If we can stop pouring more carbon into the atmosphere, then forests and oceans will slowly suck some of it out of the air and return us to safe levels.

Is 350 politically possible?

It’s very hard. It means switching off fossil fuel much more quickly than governments and corporations have been planning. Our best chance to speed up that process will come in December in Copenhagen, when the world’s nations meet to agree on a new climate treaty. Right now, they’re not planning to do enough. But we can change that--if we mobilize the world to swift and bold climate action, which is what we're planning to do on October 24th.

What can we do?

Reduce your carbon footprint by utilizing compact fluorescent light bulbs, turn off lights when they are not in use, use energy efficient home appliances, upgrade your heating and air conditioning equipment to higher efficiency systems, consider installing solar in your home or business to generate renewable energy.......and there's more......