350 Day of Action!
October 27, 2009
The Climate Advocacy Institute, held in July by IDEA, Bloomfield College and 350.org, has encouraged its graduates to stay involved in the 350 movement. Franco in Panama helped raise awareness in local schools and universities by giving presentations. Nadim in Lebanon worked with 350 and IndyAct to involve youth from his region in the Day of Action. Here are some more reports on the involvement of CAI participants in Saturday’s events:
Samer organized a chain of events that took place across Lebanon, through his involvement with Rotaract Clubs in different cities. With his help thirteen clubs, from Beirut to Tripoli Mina, all participated in the Day of Action.
One Rotaract Club that Samer helped, took their 350 photo at the Sea Castle of Saida.Dani from Kosovo got involved with the Speak Up movement that organized a symbolic event on Saturday, named “Grieving Planet Earth,” in which a globe was placed on the National Theater stairs above the number 350 decorated with flowers. Two national TV news stations reported on the event; and Dani’s own editorial about the event was published the next day in the country’s most popular newspaper, the Koha Ditore.
One TV reporter interviewing a member of Dani’s organization “Speak Up”
Bhuwan from Nepal circulated an international petition to a network of organizations and individuals working on the climate change issue. The Nepal petition spoke on behalf of Nepal, one of the ten most vulnerable countries to climate change. It was delivered to the US, China, Japan, India, and EU embassies in Nepal on October 24th.
Vesna and Simona organized an event in Skopje, Macedonia. They invited citizens to put their painted handprints on a 350 banner, which was hung in the capital city’s Skopje square.
Citizen hand-printing Vesna and Simona’s 350 banner to be hung in the Skopje square
With the help of IDEA participants, 350.org’s Day of Action sparked international interest to the movement’s mission- to inspire the world to rise to the challenge of the climate crisis, to create a new sense of urgency and of possibility for our planet.
Climate Advocacy Institute participants share their message at Bloomfield College
October 9, 2009
Participants at the Climate Advocacy Institute this past July used their creativity to share their ideas and create projects to spread environmental awareness. Now, these students are using their ingenuity to promote sustainability and spread the word about green living in their own communities and beyond.
On October 6th, eleven graduates from the institute helped kick off the school year at Bloomfield College by sharing the 350 message with students during the convocation ceremony. Their creative, informative and witty presentation engaged students, faculty, administrators and board members while encouraging participation in 350’s Day of Action and the Green Hearts Environmental Movement.
Green Hearts Movement at Bloomfield College Convocation Ceremony
This project is just one of the ways in which CAI students have been taking action in their communities. Since the institute, participants have been spreading the word at youth camps, forming groups for the 350 movement, and preparing for the Day of Action on October 24th.
The 350 movement is a green movement seeking legislature that will help reduce the world CO2 level to 350 parts per million; and 350’s Day of Action will involve people from all over the world taking a stand for a safer climate future. For more information on this event, and how you can participate in the 350 movement, check out the 350.org or the Climate Advocacy Institute website.
Climate Advocacy Institute participants spread the message
September 24, 2009
Tags: 350, 350.org Climate Track, cai09, climate change, global warming
As the 350 movement gains momentum, CAI participants are taking part in the many events and activities that are helping to achieve the 350.org goal. On September 21st, thousands of people from around the world took part in the Global Wake-Up Call; an alarm to world leaders to show the demand for a climate treaty this December in Cophenhagen. October 24th marks 350.org’s Day of Action, an international effort to reach world leaders, in which activists are organizing events in their own communities. Here’s how some of the CAI participants have been helping out with these and other events:
Begum, in Budapest, participated in the Wake-Up Call at Mu School (CEU) and also in Godo Square, one of most crowded and well-known places in Budapest. He is also helping plan an event for the October 24th day of action.
Farah, in Lebanon, helped with a Wake-Up Call event in the Ein El-Mreiseh square, where a Climate Change Countdown Clock is to be erected. They called on Arab Heads of State to engage in the climate negotiations. Activists sounded their cell phones, honked their horns, played musical instruments, and held banners to get attention.
Bhuwan, in Nepal, is helping to organize the global premiere of “The Age of Stupid,” a documentary on climate change. In addition, he helped with the South Asian Youth Summit on climate change earlier this month in Nepal.
Will, in Turkey, has been busy planning an October 24th Day of Action event there. He also helped out with the South Asian Youth Summit.
South Asian Youth summit shows support for 350 movement
Sarah, in Egypt, is collecting short film submissions on climate change for a music/film screening on October 24th. She is also participating in the World Wide Views Day on Global Warming in Egypt on September 26th, where citizens can vote on climate change issues and share their opinions with world leaders.
For more information on these events, and how you can participate in the 350 movement, check out the 350.org or the Climate Advocacy Institute website.
This House support nuclear energy as a solution to the global climate crisis
September 20, 2009
Tags: 350, 350.org Climate Track, art, cai09, climate change, Debate & Argumentation, global warming, idea, idebate, journalism, media, new, newmedia, performance
Final debate at Climate Advocacy Institute 2009!
Campaign to Stop Dangerous Climate Change Seeks Volunteers
September 15, 2009
The international grassroots movement 350.org, an Open Society Institute grantee, is running a global campaign focused on stopping dangerous climate change. The goal is to pressure world leaders to negotiate an agreement bringing carbon dioxide levels back to the safe level of 350 parts per million (ppm).
On October 24, thousands of communities around the world will host events linked together by a common visual—the number 350—which will be displayed at every action. Already, 350s have popped up all over the world, but 350.org needs more. They are inviting individuals to take on an important part of this campaign, called Project Mobilize: 350txt.
Project Mobilize
Project Mobilize is a text message (SMS) campaign to support the October 24 day of climate action.
The project seeks volunteers to facilitate two-way conversations via SMS globally. 350.org will send volunteers a t-shirt, an SMS modem, and a small list of domestic supporter mobile numbers, and help pay for the SIM card and SMS credit vouchers over the next few months. In return, Project Mobilize asks the following from node hosts:
- Keep your computer on, have FrontlineSMS open, and be connected to the internet 24 hours/day, 7 days/week (it can be an old computer you leave in the corner of a room or garage)
- Follow the instructions in the Project Mobilize guide carefully to ensure your node is set up correctly. Email 350txt@350.org with any questions.
- Find out which Telco in your country provides the cheapest SMS rates in-country, and purchase a SIM card (350.org can help pay)
- Monitor the credit. Before the credit runs out, you will need to purchase more credit, so the node is always functioning (350.org can help pay.)
- Advertise the SMS number and keywords associated with your node online and at events leading up to October 24.
Become a Host
If you’re interested in hosting a 350txt node in your country, please fill out the following questionnaire: http://bit.ly/prjctmobilize.
More good news for the 350 movement!
August 26, 2009
On August 25th, the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Rajendera Pachauri, endorsed 350 parts per million as the new target number for the level of CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere. In an interview he stated, “What is happening and what is likely to happen, convinces me that the world must be really ambitious and very determined at moving toward a 350 target.” Read the full article here.
This backing from one of the top UN climate scientists comes as excellent momentum for the 350 movement. Before the chairman’s statement, 450 parts per million had been the goal, set by a 2007 report given by the IPCC. This number has since been reduced, due to many factors- such as the Arctic melting, the decay of Greenland’s ice sheet, and proof of methane release from permafrost.
This is great news for the international youth climate movement, showing that progress is indeed being made with some of the top scientists and leaders of the world. It comes just in time for the anticipation of October 24th- a “Day of Action” set for events around the globe set to spread the message of 350.
Climate Advocacy Institute participants taking action for the 350 movement!
August 26, 2009
The Climate Advocacy Institute has equipped its young leaders with the advocacy skills they need to make an impact. Together with the Climate Advocacy Institute partner 350.org, these activists are preparing for a true movement!
This past July, IDEA, Bloomfield College, and 350.org hosted the Climate Advocacy Institute in Turkey. This three-week Institute hosted students from around the globe. This year, it focused on the 350 movement — an international campaign inspiring people everywhere to help lower our atmosphere’s CO2 level to 350 parts per million. And October 24th marks a milestone in the campaign, as the organization has been planning for a Day of Action around the world. Some students from the Institute are not only becoming active in the campaign, but they’re also becoming spokespersons for the movement. They’re taking action in their own communities on October 24th.
In Panama, Franco Fong is helping raise awareness about the campaign by giving presentations at local schools and universities. He’s also helping plan a group hike at the Metropolitan Natural Park at the end of September. Nadim Haidar, in Lebanon, is organizing an event that includes “a large amount of people lining up on the sea shore, carrying a 350 banner, possibly followed by a short march.” He’s working not only with 350, but also with IndyAct, to get the youth from his region involved on the Day of Action. Vesna Velevska and Simona Jandrevska from Macedonia are going to “group human 350 on the city square,” and “form 350 from canoes on one of Skopje artificial lakes.” They’re working in collaboration with a local organization, the Youth Educational Forum, to host the event.
Students from Bloomfield College are also getting involved by forming the “Green Hearts Environmental Movement”. This new organization is hosting events for 350.org, and is raising awareness by becoming official spokespersons for New Jersey. They’re planning a Day of Action event called “On the Green at Bloomfield College”, and they’re spreading the word at other events such as Open Mic Night, various fundraisers, and Bloomfield’s Harvest Fest in October.
Find out more about the movement and what you can do to spread the message in your community at 350.org. And to simply find out how you can take part in the 350 movement, check out this guide on how to live greener. You can also watch the new Discovery channel — Planet Green!
Check out what the Climate Advocacy Institute graduates are doing!
August 24, 2009
Some Institute alumni are now participating in a global competition called “Imagine,” hosted by GlobalFOCUS. This organization focuses on ways to influence policies and investments toward greener possibilities for the future. The “Imagine” competition is collecting positive visions for a bright sustainable future, where people live rich and fruitful lives without harming the planet. The best visions will be collected and presented to policymakers and stakeholders at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December. This is an opportunity for participants to take what they learned at the Institute and implement it into global policies that will affect how we all live.
Climate Advocacy Institute graduates are creating original projects that helped spread the message of the 350 movement, which focuses on ways to lower the CO2 level to 350 parts per million. Many students have taken on leadership roles with that movement, and this competition is giving the students the same opportunity.
Good luck to all the participants and thank you for promoting a better future for our planet!
Climate Advocacy Institute Google Earth Project
August 23, 2009
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Climate advocates make their presence on Google Earth
August 3, 2009
The participants of the 2009 Climate Advocacy Institute, today’s youth advocates against climate change, shared their photos and stories on Google Earth as part of their final project in the New Media track of the Institute.
Learn more about these amazing youth leaders by visiting Google Earth and searching for “Climate Advocacy Institute.”
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