Check out this amazing press release that our friend Jamie Pleune just sent! She and her husband are leaving their jobs in Washington DC to embark on an incredible 350 mile walk that will begin in the oil and gas fields in Vernal, Utah and end at a proposed wilderness area at the Glen Canyon Dam.

As teachers around the nation get ready to return to the classroom, one Utah science teacher has decided to “get to work” by quitting his job.  He and his wife Jamie, an environmental attorney, are returning from two years of work in Washington D.C. to begin a 350 mile walk through eastern Utah.  Their walk is part pilgrimage and part political march with the goal to find hope and meet others in their home state that are “getting to work” on climate change solutions.

“Get to work” is the key phrase for a world-wide campaign spearheaded by 350.org.  The purpose of the campaign is to publicize the number 350 parts per million, the safe concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to preserve life as we know it.  To urge world leaders to take immediate and effective action on climate change, people all over the world have responded to 350.org’s “call to action” by organizing community work parties that will take place on October 10, 2010.  The message sent to world leaders by thousands of people installing solar panels, breaking ground for a community garden, or picking up trash is clear.  “We’re ready to get to work addressing climate change, what about you?”

Ryan and Jamie will spend October 10, 2010 picking up trash with a group of high school students in Fort Duchesne to kick off a walk through eastern Utah that they’re calling the “350 miles: 350 postcards” initiative.  They hope that their walk will create a new story of courage and action that can help non-traditional environmentalists define for themselves what “getting to work” means. Along the walk, the Pleunes hope to bring publicity to the work being done by local teachers and activists.  “It is surprising” Ryan says “how many people even in the conservative state of Utah are seriously concerned about the climate crisis and are doing great work to address it.” Ryan and Jamie are convinced there are at least 350 community leaders throughout rural eastern Utah that will be willing to send a postcard to their congressmen describing the hard work they are doing in their communities. The work they have chosen this fall is to meet them.

When asked about how quitting his job has to do with getting to work Ryan responded: “Getting to work used to mean waking up at 5:00 A.M., riding my bike to work at a local high school, pulling my thoughts together, and teaching a revolving door of students in earth systems classes until the bell rang at the end of the school day.  The problem was, I just didn’t feel like my work was preparing my students for the future.”

Climate change is the largest environmental, social, political, and international crisis of our times but Ryan felt like, in Utah, addressing climate change in a public school setting often seemed like a radical idea.  He says “It is an issue that is going to affect the lives of every one of my students, so it should be a part of their education, but I was always on guard and afraid of what other teachers and parents might say if I asked my students to get involved in taking action.”  Jamie adds, “We live in a democracy and students take classes on civics.  But we talk about activism as a historical event; as if its importance ended with Rosa Parks.  If we don’t teach our children how to effectively participate in the political process, particularly when the political issues affect basic human needs, like water, food, and a stable climate, then we should not be surprised that powerful corporations dominate the political debate.”  They point out that we feel comfortable posting flyers telling people to recycle at schools, but people react differently when it comes to flyers about taking action around climate change.  The Pleunes hope that their walk will help break this cultural silence in Utah.  “We need to get to a place where teaching about climate change is as common and as apolitical as teaching the three “Rs” whether you define those as reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmatic or “reduce, reuse, recycle.”

Throughout their walk, the Pleunes will call on teachers in the towns they pass through to open their doors to a classroom visit.  A powerful teacher and lawyer team, Ryan and Jamie will bring the energy from the outdoors into the classroom as they talk about the practical implications of climate change and the important role of citizen involvement in politics.  They will invite teachers and students to participate in the 350.org call to action of creating community work parties to address local environmental issues.  At the end of each visit they hope that students will feel empowered to write to their congressmen, requesting leadership, rather than politicking, around climate change.  The message that they hope to convey through their visits is that no matter where you live, no matter what your politics, climate change affects all of us.  That is why their postcard tagline reads, “350 ppm.  We’re in this together.”  

Ryan and Jamie will be walking through Ouray, Green River, Moab, Blanding and Bluff.  They hope to meet other teachers and young activists interested in community work parties and creating post-cards for the “350 miles: 350 postcards” initiative.  For more information or if you are interested in a classroom visit or help in starting a work party, please contact them at: ryanpleune@hotmail.com and pleunej@gmail.com.  

You can check in on the Pleune’s progress by visiting their blog at www.thewildernessproject.com
 

Many of you are already familiar with our friend and fellow 350 oragnizer in Iraq, Ola.  For those of you who don't know Ola, check out her video here: www.350.org/ola

Well, we just got several fantastic photos today from Ola's sister and their friends in Babel, Iraq, who are carrying on with what Ola began...

Here is what our friend and colleague, Ali Falkhry from IndyACT, wrote about their organizing efforts in Iraq:

In a country where people risk life and limb (literally) every second by just walking through the neighborhood you find dedicated activists that are ready to risk everything to raise the awareness and get to work against climate change and to brand a new era of a newly born Iraq.

Hiba, Hala, Mais, Hazem, Lina, Ali and Ashraf, 350 leaders in Iraq, are already rocking the city, promoting for solar panels at the University of Babel Iraq and planting trees near the industrial zones and conducting environmental awarness sessions to convince locals, industries and government to adapt for a renewable energy.

This group is working on their plans for 10/10/10 and preparing for something big. Stay tuned...

350.org is taking solar back to the White House. Literally.

We're hauling solar panels to Washington DC and inviting President Obama to join the world on 10/10/10. But President Obama needs to know that he won't be alone on 10/10/10, so start or join an event today.

---

Dear Friends,
 
Well, I'm getting to work a few weeks ahead of 10-10-10, and wanted to send along the story to get you fired up for the big day.
 
I'm trying to type this as the biodiesel van I'm sitting in bumps down the highway from the state of Maine on the east coast of the USA. We left tiny Unity College yesterday morning, bound for the White House with stops in Boston and New York -- and we're carrying a piece of history with us.
 
It's one of the solar panels that the American president Jimmy Carter installed on the roof of the White House in 1979, 31 long years ago. Here's what Carter said that day: "A generation from now this solar heater can either be a curiosity, a museum piece, an example of a road not taken, or it can be just a small part of one of the greatest and most exciting adventures ever undertaken by the American people."
 
Sadly, the panels were taken down a few years later during the Reagan administration. Not because they stopped working -- but because we stopped thinking carefully about the future. The folks at Unity College salvaged them from a government warehouse and put them on the roof of their school cafeteria, where they still work fine.
 
But now they've agreed to donate one solar panel back to the White House, in the hope that it will spur Obama to pick up where Carter left off.
 
Our great hope, of course, is that on 10-10-10 President Obama will be up there on the roof, helping to put the panels in place. Our friends at the solar company Sungevity have even offered to donate a massive, brand new solar array for free. (Mohamed Nasheed, president of the Maldives, has already taken them up on the offer -- he'll be up on his roof on 10-10-10 hammering in a new set of panels).
 
But so far, there's no definitive answer from the White House. They say they're "interested", but that it's "complicated".
 
Here's how you can tip the balance: in the next 24 hours, we're going to get back on the phone with the White House and work to convince them to commit to taking action on 10-10-10. It would greatly strengthen our hand to say that hundreds of people have registered new work parties since we last called.

Can you help by registering an event in your community or forwarding this email to friends encouraging them to Get to Work on 10/10/10?

We'll keep you updated on our Solar Road Trip blog on how negotiations with the White House go and how many actions get signed up over the next 24 hours. Together, we can send President Obama and all politicians a clear message: we're getting to work, now it's time for you to do your part.
 
In the end, we can't completely control what President Obama, or any other political leader decides to do. We can control what happens in our communities, and we can use our own efforts to put more political pressure on our leaders.
 
With events already scheduled in over 140 countries, 10/10/10 is shaping up to be huge -- but it needs to be massive to create enough pressure to really count.

Please help lead this movement, and get involved in 10/10/10 today.

Onwards,

Bill McKibben for The 350.org Team

Just as we are beginning to see the lives of Pakistanis and Russians afdected by the floods and the fires that ravaged those countries get better, another report of flooding has come in from our supporters in Kano, Nigeria.

Salisu Lawal writes that "According to 2006 population census is the most populous state in Nigeria but on 25th August 2010 all major roads in the city were submerged by flooding." The BBC and AFP are reporting that up to eight people have died, and thousands have been left without homes or clean water as the Wudil River swelled over its banks after record rainfall followed a severe summer drought. Here's a photo taken by Salisu that shows the extend of the flooding in Kano:

The residents of Kano aren't going to give up, though. They understand climate change and are committed to advocating for climate solutions like planting trees to stop desertification - which is what they're going to do on 10/10/10. Check out this hopeful photo from last year's October 24 International Day of Climate Action:

The sheer scale and urgency of climate change often leaves me pessimistic, but working as the 350.org Pacific coordinator, has given me a constant stream of hope.

Recently the Tongan Youth Congress has mobilised an ambitious plan of coastal planting to protect themselves from climate change. On every Saturday in the lead up to Oct 10th they are moving along the coast planting, cleaning up the beach and inspiring communities around them to get involved. That's what local leadership for our planet looks like.

Last year on Oct 24th, we had actions in every Pacific Island nation - and this year Pacific voices will be ringing even louder on Oct 10th with a powerful message: "Global leaders get to work on climate change - because we are!"

Whether it's students from Vaiala Beach Primary School in Samoa planting out mangroves or communities in the Northern Marianas, Tuvalu, Kiribati, or the Solomon Islands getting to work, we can be sure that the Pacific will be doing much more than it's fair share to tackle this biggest of challenges.

We just have to make sure that global media and global leaders know it--so back to work for me...

To raise awareness for their 350 school project kids started to paint their future bright with hundreds of little 350 signs and symbols at a local fair in Venegono, Italy. 

Getting creative also proved very successful when talking to the parents and adults at the fair and getting them involved with the school climate project and the 350 campaign according to local organizer Federico. 

For 10/10/10 Federico and the kids are planning a cycling action. So the stencils the kids created at the local fair will surely be back in action soon.

Hawai‘i's Blue Planet Foundation wants to share an inspiring success story. By way of background, our current mission is to end Hawai‘i's dependence on fossil fuels and pave the way for a clean energy future for the Islands—within a decade. Right now, a whopping 90 percent of our energy comes from imported oil. Entirely unsustainable. So, how to accomplish such a daunting task? Well, with lots of bold ideas, followed by passion and action. During a brainstorming session, we thought, "What if we changed out every energy-gobbling incandescent bulb on the island of Moloka‘i?" The whole island? That would be an audacious goal, indeed. 

We ran with it, and with the avid participation of the island's (population ~ 7,500) tight-knit community, 36,000 CFL bulbs were distributed over a three-month campaign. The result? The CFL exchange saves Moloka‘i residents 17 GWhrs of electricity, 24,000 barrels of oil, and $6.5 million over the lives of the bulbs. It also keeps 16,000 tons of greenhouse gases from polluting the atmosphere. After the project was completed, a follow-up survey showed that 42 percent of participating residents saw an immediate decrease in their energy bill, 68 percent are looking for additional ways to reduce energy use, and 88 percent would consider participating in future energy savings programs. 

According to our special projects director Francois Rogers, who oversaw the campaign, "We designed the project to help the community reduce its dependence on imported oil, and the result is that Moloka‘i has become a shining example of how an island community can achieve energy independence through energy efficiency practices." The philosophy behind the Moloka‘i project isn't limited by geographic or cultural boundaries. We really want to encourage others to adapt the Moloka‘i model to a community-wide bulb swap campaign that would work in your neighborhoods! You can find out more about our project at www.blueplanetfoundation.org.

Some times creating a local movement can be as simple as setting a date and time. Here in Barcelona, it’s the first Friday of every month at PM. Simple. And it works. 

      On that day, every month cyclers from all over Barcelona gather, to chat, laugh and ride together. 350 Barcelona has joined up with the local branch of this global movement, Critical Mass, to help spread awareness about the possibilities of using bikes instead of cars in cities. This movement works, as its name implies, by sheer numbers. There is nothing out-of-the-ordinary about what happens in the event. Very literally, you go for a bike ride around the city. I do that every day, so it hardly seems extraordinary. However, when you and 60 others decide to collectively go for a ride around the city – well then that changes things. Your bike ride becomes part of a movement.

     Last night, the streets of Barcelona honked, rang, and sang to the tune of what a city in a 350 ppm world could look like. There were no panes of glass separating the people waiting for a light to change, and there was no exhaust pumping into the faces of bicyclists waiting for the red to become green . Just bicycles, and people talking face to face, meeting and joking – excited to be part of this exploding movement. 

    350 Barcelona helped to organize the creation of some visuals to help the group communicate their message and to make things more festive. See this great video by artist Hans Hansen to see the process. We wanted to make the event more colorful and lively, because we should enjoy this beautiful planet while we save it so that future generations can enjoy it too. That’s why we´ve called October 10th  a Work-Party, because all good work is enjoyable, and we will need all the joy we can muster to continue growing this movement for the years to come. Its going to take a lot of work to get us back down to 350ppm, so lets enjoy it while we do it. 

     This Critical Mass was a “warm up” for 350 Barcelona´s own plans for 10:10:10 – a moveable bike parade. The idea is for each group to come from their own activity, from their urban organic gardens, from their beach clean up campaigns, from their mural projects, and to meet for a giant musical bike ride throughout the city. One bike at a time, one garden at a time, one day at a time, the movement grows. 

     Something occurred to me, as a rolled down the long avenues of Barcelona on my way to meet the rest of the folks at Critical Mass. There is was no bike lane on that street, so I held a lane just as the cars do. But there was a noticeable difference, the cars would all accelerate, even if they were approaching a red light. From my bicycle it seemed absurd, why would I pedal hard just to brake 10 meters later? It seemed like a waste of my energy. And something clicked in my head, to me, that is exactly how I see our fossil fueled society – accelerating as quickly as possible towards the red light, towards the finish line. I didn´t want to stop, so I slowed down, stopped pedaling and let myself drift down the block slowly, by the time I arrived at the light it had changed, I kept up my momentum and slipped on silently down the street to meet the movement that awaited.

I have been feeling the weight of the world lately.  Last week my friend, Maggie, was diagnosed with serious breast cancer—she is 29 years old and an amazing force of joy in our group of friends.  Needless to say, it has been a tough week for me and I have found myself staring at the screen of my computer, clicking the key board not knowing what I am writing.  I was writing to an organizer in Vietnam that other day and when signing off the email I wrote: "Good work.  Hang in there, I hope you are finding spurts of lightness and happiness in your day. xo Love you, HBOX."  As I re-read before sending I was like—whoa, WHERE is my brain, that wasn't what I meant to write, but I couldn't get myself to delete and just say my usual - together we are gonna save the world and end climate change!!  So I deleted the sentence I mistyped and said—"Hey, I'm going through some hard times right now in my life but coming into 350.org everyday and seeing the amazing photos that people like you are sending in of 10/10/10 planning meetings and hearing the stories of people across the globe organizing for a better, healthier, more peaceful world is giving me energy and strength to keep my head up through these tough times. THANK YOU for that. - HBOX"

It really is.  So thanks for the stories, thanks for believing the world will be a better place soon and working so hard to make that happen.  10/10/10 will be an amazing day, it will serve as proof that people across the world can look past our national lines, our racial lines, our class and gender lines and take action as people, as loving people working together to save our nature, our health and our sense of oneness.  Keep the stories coming! xo HBOX

As part of our efforts to let our senators know we still expect them to pass a serious climate bill, a team of volunteers headed to a debate between California's Senator Barbara Boxer and Republican candidate Carly Fiorina on Wednesday.

Joe Romm at Climate Progress has a great post (with footage from the debate) about what happened when climate change came up as a topic in the debate. At issue is Proposition 23, a proposal that would put a moratorium on implementing California's global warming law, AB32. Boxer is opposed to the measure; Fiorina has yet to take a position on it.

We'll be working with all the 10/10 event organizers in California to draw a link between getting to work in our communities, and getting our politicians to get to work implementing the laws that will lead the country to cut our emissions.

It is almost a month since we went for an all-out online organizing and protest against the gigantic coal-fired plant at the Borneo. Already we are seeing fruits of the effort when the EIA report was rejected and the fast-progressing implementation of the plant came to a halt. Thanks people for the solidarity and support!

Today we are already seeing the momentum of our campaign towards 10/10 Global Work Party in Malaysia! The Selangor state government is worthy to be a role model for the whole country when they took up 10/10 Global Work Party to a greater heights at the national level. The state government spearheaded our 10/10 campaign by the installing a micro hydro electric generator for an indigenous village at Hulu Langat, Selangor. The groundbreaking ceremony was done by YB Elizabeth Wong, the state exco member with presence of the overjoyed indigenous community here. The mini hydro plant will be generate sufficient electricity to power the basic necessities for the 25 indigenous family living in this rural village.

What's next? The Selangor state government has already initiated 10:10 Selangor Facebook page to rally more events for coming 10/10. What are you waiting for? Go ahead sign up your events with us! Make your state leaders go to work on 10/10. 

"The chief monk at the temple told us that the 350.org gathering last year was the first time such a large gathering participated at an event in that small temple. " - Renton de Alwis, event participant and organizer

Sri Lanka bears a lot of the brunt of climate change with raising sea levels, changing weather pattens and the devastation caused by more severe storms.  Check out what Renton has planned for 10/10/10: 

Kiula and Kalametiya are farming and fishing villages located 220 kilometers from the capital city of Sri Lanka. The two villages are located next to a bird sanctuary in an immensely biologically rich area of marshland.

In December 2004, the Kalametiya village and its 32 abodes of the fishermen were completely destroyed by the tsunami that hit the region. Several children and adults of that village lost their lives. Even today, they still suffer the after-effects of the trauma they went through. Their lives are now rebuilt with new houses and fishing boats and gear, but the memories still remain in their minds. That perhaps is the reason that villagers in both Kalametiya and Kiula came in full-force to participate in a blessing that was organized as part of the 350.org's 'Real Climate' action programme on 12 December 2009. We as organizers expected 250 to come for the meditation, sermon and the pahan (oil lamps) pooja held at the village temple to pray for our leaders to have the courage to make definitive decisions on mitigation action at the UN Climate Change conference in Copenhagen and over 1,200 turned up. The chief monk at the temple told us that it was the first time such a large gathering participated at an event in that small temple. The total population of the two villages is less than 5,000.

On 10-10-10, the children of the villages and their parents will gather again, this time to act on their own. To plant 350 mangrove plants and other useful trees, upon gathering at the temple's Sunday School in the morning.

Children from nearby schools who have participated in a two year environmental awareness programme conducted by the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka(FOGSL),on the theme 'My home, my school, my village, my country, my earth' will also be with us on that day. Theirs' was practical action to reduce-reuse and recycle. On 10-10-10 we will discuss and determine the future of that programme as well. A team from FOGSL will participate in support of the event and make a presentation on the role of mangroves in coastal area conservation. Since we believe that our efforts should not be limited to a day, we are planning to set in place action to monitor the growth of the plants and trees charged with the children and
make awards of recognition to 50 children who will best look after them. That will be done on 11-11-11.

If you are one of the 4 million plus people that watches the Late Show with David Letterman every night, then you've already seen the clip below with 350.org founder Bill McKibben. If not, check it out—Bill lays out the case for the need to get back to 350 ppm, talks about the momentum building for 10/10/10, and announces our upcoming road trip to take one of President Carter's original solar panels back to the White House:

Please share the clip with your friends and spread the word. Together, we can get President Obama (and other world leaders) to get to work with us on 10/10/10!

You can share it on Facebook with just a couple of clicks, as well as share it on Twitter by clicking here.

Two posts came to our attention today about the importance of local organizing. We can't get enough of that theme around here, so we're sharing both. Our friend Andy Hultgren, sent us the piece below, and then today, our friend Dave Roberts posted something with a similar conclusion on Grist.

Political Engagement at the Local Level

by Andy Hultgren

Let’s face it: the likelihood over the next few years of federal climate legislation in the U.S. does not look good right now.  And with the U.S. playing a key leadership role in international climate talks, this fact likely portends more delays and inaction at the international level. Yet, to maintain a reasonable chance of avoiding catastrophic climate change, the world (and particularly the developed world) must reduce greenhouse gas emissions dramatically, starting now.

With all these big needs for national and international policies and treaties, why talk about political engagement at the local (city) level? Three reasons. First, we simply don’t have time to wait any longer for our national governments to get their acts together. That, in and of itself, is an extremely important motivation. Second, state and national politicians are typically more comfortable advocating policies that they have seen “tested” on a smaller scale; and the people who elect them are more comfortable with those policies at a national or state level if they have already seen some of them on a local level (who knows, they might even start advocating for them). Third, while city-level policies are not as impactful as state and national policies, they are a whole lot easier to influence and change. And you have the potential to build a grassroots movement of an engaged and active electorate in the process.

This article is intended to help those who want to organize their community and change the way their local leaders view and respond to climate change, but who do not have a track record of engaging in their local politics. Part I provides a high-level overview of the process for engaging in your local politics (details like working with the media, community recruitment, etc. can be found at 1Sky.org – focused on federal politics, but useful information) and is based on the advice and insight of seasoned veterans of community organizing and local political engagement. Part II provides a brief list of some sample policy actions to push for in your local community, just to get the creative juices flowing. And keep in mind, part of being an effective leader is leading by example. So, if you haven’t gotten started already, check this site out for some thoughts on how you can incorporate your advocacy into your personal life.

Please read on, and then get to work organizing for a cleaner, better future in your local community.
Part I: Local Political Engagement 101
This is a high-level overview of the process for engaging in your local politics, based on the experience of veteran community organizers , . Though it is brief, read this “step-by-step” guide carefully as it will help you think strategically about your efforts and avoid some common and damaging pitfalls.
1)    At all times, maintain a relationship of high standing and trust with the local community. The importance of this statement cannot be overrated.
a.    If you and your organization lose the trust of the community, community leaders and local politicians will not work with you and your efforts toward change will be frustrated. Period.
b.    Trust is built slowly, but will be gained through attraction to your conviction and integrity. Although your initial steps as an environmental activist and organizer may be modest, your vision must be extraordinary and powerful.  Motivate and inspire with your words and deeds. Practice the articulation of your environmental critique among fellow activists—does it encourage hope and strengthen resolve as well as call for immediate action?  Or does it sound more like an angry, relationally destructive tirade? You want to energize and mobilize others, especially the next generation, to follow your example. Teach them well.
c.    Astonish the public with skills of inclusion, especially regarding those who would not think of themselves as an “environmentalist” or “green.”  Remember, we live in times of deep division and mistrust. The more you prove yourself as a peacemaker, the more you will garner positive attention and volunteer support.
d.    Get a solid “win” as a team player (see point 2 below), however small it may seem, as soon as you can. Nothing breeds momentum and enthusiasm like an early success.
2)    Look for alliance opportunities with other non-profits.
a.    You are far more effective pooling resources and membership bases. And don’t just limit yourself to the traditionally “environmental” non-profits.  Invite to your planning meetings representatives of seemingly unrelated organizations—racial advocacy groups, churches, unions, immigration groups, etc.  Climate change is not simply an “environmental” issue; it has wide ranging social and economic implications. This, of course, presents an enormous problem, but it also presents a broad base of common ground upon which to build alliances. Forge agreements with alliance members on how different agendas can be advanced, respecting the fact that each different organization will come with its own valid agenda.  
b.    Example: Environmental racism (pollution and environmental degradation in minority communities – like the landfill on “the other side of the tracks”) is rarely an issue of concern, even for minorities who are most impacted! This is an opportunity to build a new alliance with local minority non-profits. Note how Van Jones, founder of Green for All in Oakland, brought together African American communities and activist environmental groups to create jobs and protect the earth.
3)    Build credibility, and the ability to ask for favors later.
a.    Approach the mayor’s office and find out what is on his/her environmental agenda, and what could use some volunteer “foot soldiers” to get it done.
i.    Don’t start with your agenda at this time. Right now you are focusing on building trust with the mayor and “earning a place at the table.”
ii.    “Foot soldier” work includes knocking on doors, handing out fliers, conducting surveys, getting the word out, building support.
b.    Help deliver a win for the mayor on that issue(s).
i.    When your alliance delivers a win, share the credit with other alliance members! Often, it is through these alliance relationships that financing and opportunities can begin to multiply, as your organization begins to be seen as a valuable team-player in the community.
c.    Work with the mayor to bring your alliance’s agenda and ideas to the table, in a way that maintains trust and credibility.
i.    Consider starting with a brief description of the climate crisis we are currently in [the basics, details, details with graphs].
ii.    Act according to the level of trust built. Don’t ask for too much too fast, but be clear about the ultimate needs of the community and planet.
iii.    Sample policy ideas are provided in Part II below.
d.    Repeat points (3a) through (3c), while keeping in mind point (1) above.
Part II: Policy Ideas for Local Politics
These are some climate change policy ideas relevant to the city/county level of government. They are roughly listed in increasing order of complexity and “reach” – and the last suggestions are really asking a lot from you local leadership! (Translation: as tempting as it may be, don’t start there.)
1)    Sign the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement
a.    Benefits:
i.    Reduced greenhouse gas emissions, likely reduced energy expenses, air pollution, and reliance on foreign oil
ii.    Likely improved energy independence, local health and wellbeing, and job creation
b.    For more information: http://www.usmayors.org/climateprotection/revised/
2)    Improved bicycle infrastructure, such as dedicated bike paths, bike lanes on roadways, signage reminding drivers to “share the road”
a.    Benefits:
i.    Reduces vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT), thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, local air pollution, gasoline expenditures, and reliance on foreign oil;
ii.    Improves health of community members as they cycle more often, can create jobs
b.    For more information: economic, environmental, and health benefits (scroll down), barriers to cycling in communities
3)    Building code reformation requiring energy efficient residential and commercial buildings; can be phased in to be increasingly more stringent over time
a.    Benefits:
i.    Reduces energy usage, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, local air pollution, and energy expenses
ii.    Increases energy independence
b.    For more information: Energy codes information for advocates and policymakers, Top Ten Reasons for Building Energy Codes, Everything you want to know about energy codes in your state, Introduction to ASHRAE Code Recommendations
4)    Code and zoning reformation encouraging high-density housing and mixed use (commercial and residential) development
a.    Benefits:
i.    Reduces vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT), thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, local air pollution, gasoline expenditures, and reliance on foreign oil;
ii.    Improves health and wellbeing of community members as they walk more often and develop increasingly local networks of relationships
b.    For more information: Sustainable Urban Development Resource Guide (especially the “Sustainable Zoning” section), Commercial and Mixed-Use Development Code Handbook, Healthy Zoning Regulations, EPA Making Smart Growth Happen , example: Sustainable Code Revision Project in Salt Lake City, Utah
5)    Code and zoning reformation encouraging residential renewable energy, residential water conservation, residential gray water applications, residential gardens and livestock (chickens, turkeys, goats, pigs)
a.    Benefits:
i.    Reduces greenhouse gas emissions, local air pollution (as furnaces are replaced), water infrastructure investments by the city (at water treatment facilities), and energy, water, and food expenditures
ii.    Increases clean energy and energy independence, health and wellbeing of the community (healthy food)
b.    For more information: Gray Water Policy Center, The Greywater Alliance, Examples of Chicken Laws, Urban Agriculture Basics, Sustainable Food in Portland, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Codes (plus see references for Point 3 above for more on codes and renewables)
6)    Energy efficiency/renewable energy revolving loan fund, offering low/no interest rate loans
a.    Benefits:
i.    Reduces greenhouse gas emissions, local air pollution, and energy expenditures
ii.    Increases energy independence, renewable energy generation, and job creation; funds are “recycled” so each dollar allocated to the fund is multiplied many times over the lifetime of the fund (as loans are repaid the money can be loaned out again)
b.    For more information: State and Municipal Revolving Loan Funds
7)    Renewable energy feed-in tariff, paying owners of renewable energy installations a “bonus” per kWh of electricity generated; decisively demonstrated to increase installations of renewable energy (in Germany)
a.    Benefits:
i.    Reduced greenhouse gas emissions, reduced air pollution, reduced energy expenditures
ii.    Improved air quality, increased energy independence, job creation
b.    For more information: Everything you want to know about Feed-In Tariffs, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Policymaker’s Guide to Feed-In Tariffs,
c.    Note: this would be asking a lot from your mayor/city council!!
8)    Carbon tax (the city of San Francisco and others have pulled this off)
a.    Some notes on this one:
i.    If proposing this at all, expect to start at something like $0.10 per metric ton CO2; but make your initial proposal higher, say $1 to $10 per metric ton CO2
ii.    Start only with CO2 emissions and not other GHGs, and only for large sources within city/county limits (consider using the new EPA GHG Mandatory Reporting Rule to initially define a “large source”)
iii.    Propose that funds raised be put into a renewable energy and energy efficiency revolving loan as described in point (6) above
iv.    You are asking for nothing short of a revolution by pushing for this and are asking for a mammoth commitment from your mayor and city council!
b.    Benefits:
i.    Your mayor will be seen as one of the greenest city/county mayors in the nation. Period. (Lots of publicity and great political cred. in a very liberal/green city, county, and/or state).
ii.    Reduced greenhouse gas emissions, reduced air pollution, reduced energy expenses (as organizations respond to the tax by increasing efficiency, and as funds are used to deploy renewable energy and energy efficiency)
iii.    Funds generated can be used to increase renewable energy deployment and energy efficiency, increase energy independence, and create jobs (note, this means I do not believe a carbon tax should be completely revenue-neutral with funds returned to the public. Rather these funds should be used to reduce GHG emissions, especially at the municipal level where smaller amounts of funds will be collected);
iv.    Funds are “recycled” multiple times over the lifetime of the fund (see point (6) above) and the overall fund grows annually from carbon tax collections
c.    For more information: Carbon Tax Center, British Columbia (Canada) Carbon Tax, San Francisco Carbon Tax, City of Boulder Carbon Tax, Montgomery County Carbon Tax
Andy Hultgren is a project manager specializing in greenhouse gas and sustainability consulting services. He has served as the Climate Change Specialist for numerous Federal NEPA decision-making processes and has helped dozens of local governments and private businesses assess and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. He can be reached at andyhultgren@gmail.com.  
 

Paul Peacock over at DebateGraph just created this super-cool way to explore the information on 350.org:

A lot of it is information on our website--but it's presented in a whole new format.  The jaunty animated bubbles and bouncing arrows makes exploring information about climate science (and the climate movement) seem whimsical and fun.  

Make sure to head over to DebateGraph.org to check out the other graphs they have on a HUGE array of topics. Happy clicking!

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I got an email from Nanette Salvador-Antequisa, Executive Director of Ecosystems Work for Essential Benefits  Inc. (ECOWEB) in IIligan City in the Philippines, last week about her plans for 10/10/10.  Her organization will be doing tree planting and growing events on that day, which is exciting.  But I’m writing today to tell you about another project her organization in implementing now called the Disaster Risk Reduction program (DRR) – check out what she has to say about it!   

DRR is one of the Climate Change Adaptation strategies that our organization is propagating among our partners in development. With the Support of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD), a UK-based Development Agency, we are currently implementing DRR in the local development and land use planning at the barangay (village level or the lowest unit of our government structure) and municipal (the next level after barangay local government unit) levels.

How does DRR work?  On a community level participants identify the hazards their communities are facing because of climate change and the hazard risk level.  Landslides, flashfloods, drought, fire, pest infestation and diseases brought about by changing climate, are among the hazards that have been identified by the communities around the Philippines, mostly uplands. In Mindanao, armed conflict is also another hazard (a human-made one) that the people have identified on top of the impact of the changing climate. Some of the mitigation and adaption strategies that have come out of the process and are being put into action are forest rehabilitation, tree planting along riverbanks and elevated areas, creek and river clean-ups, ecological waste management, promotion of ecological farming technologies, planting of drought-resistant crops and implementing indigenous farming practices. Conflict transformation and peace building as well as the inclusion of the issue in the early warning system and contingency planning are also part of the DRR strategies. 

As of now, the DRR programs are being implemented in the municipality of Josefina, Zamboanga del Sur in partnership with the Catholic Church local social action program and the local government unit and ECOWEB has started innovating the program in other municipalities as well.

We are still on the process of implementing these projects and are interested in sharing our experience on this and to learn as well from others' experience around the world. 

DRR is just the type of process we will see more of as our climate changes across the globe.  It is important for us all to share the best practices and lessons learned from these type of adaption programs so we are learning from each other and finding the most effective solutions to our collective issues.  Thanks for sharing Nanette!

Great news from Kenya: The Green Belt Movement, an innovative environmental and human rights group started by Prof. Wangari Maathai, Nobel Prize winner, has joined us in celebrating 10/10/10. No other organization on the planet has done so much as GBM to promote tree-planting and empower communities to take control of their environments, lives, and future through reforestation. They've even "greened" the 10/10/10 logo!

You can register a tree-planting on 10/10 and check out the Green Belt Movement's easy tree-planting guide and other resources here.

Besides the carbon sucked up by plants, trees have numerous other benefits, including protecting water resources, providing shade and stopping desertification, among many others.

"We have a responsibility to protect the rights of generations, of all species, that cannot speak for themselves today. The global challenge of climate change requires that we ask no less of our leaders, or ourselves.” Prof Wangari Maathai.

350.org founder Bill McKibben will be on the David Letterman Show tonight, one of the most walked talk shows in the United States, to talk about his new book Eaarth, our plans for 10/10/10, and to kick off our Put Solar On It road trip! 

As you can imagine, we're pretty excited here at the 350.org office. This is great exposure and it couldn't be better timed. Next week, Bill and a group of students will be driving one of Jimmy Carter's original solar panels from its current home at Unity College in Maine back to the White House.

You can follow all the excitement of the road trip at our new Put Solar On It road trip site. Bill and the team will be tweeting, blogging, video-ing, etc. from the road and doing events in Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C. along the way. Join us as we ask President Obama to install solar panels on the White House roof on 10/10/10 and tell us his plan to put solar on rooftops across America and around the world. 

Make sure to tune in to watch Bill on Letterman tonight and help spread the word! 

20 youth from Sweden, UK, Norway, Finland, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands joined us last weekend for a weekend of training and planning for youth-led climate campaigns in Europe. 

Next to some amazing ideas that were developed for 10/10/10 - clothes swapping action in Sweden, put up a solar panel on the roof of a UK university, dance action in Finland and a Silent Climate Parade in Germany - plans were also made for a European wide climate action for universities next spring. 

Having such an amazing bunch of inspiring youth leaders with us and working with some of the most amazing young campaigners and social entrepreneurs from the UK Youth Climate coalition, Wake up call Sweden and Nest social media agency to bring more European youth into action definitely made my day.

Just got off the line with Clive from Hong Kong - here are his plans for 10/10/10:

On October 10, 2010, 1000 young professionals, university students and
secondary students will join together to make 100 green commitments to
start green projects all over Hong Kong.  Young people will commit to
starting projects like beach clean up's, recycling programs and
climate change education workshops in their communities.  This large
scale youth action program is part of  Youth Envisioning Scheme
(YES) and organized by the Envision Hong Kong.  This summit will be
held at Hong Kong University as part of the Centennial Anniversary
celebration of the University.

The message of this gathering?  Well, as Clive explains it the title
explains it all: i350 Youth Summit: "The 350 is to spread the message
of lowering the carbon emissions to 350ppm and  the word “i” has two
meanings, one in English and one in Mandrin.  The letter “i”
pronounced in English means the word LOVE in Mandarin. It implies our
love and care to our environment.  The letter “i” also represents that
“I” am responsible and should take the self-initiative to protect the
world."

Look out for updates on 10/10/10 from Clive and his crew of organizers
send in pics from the events.