In October of 2009 we coordinated 5200 simultaneous rallies and demonstrations in 181 countries, in what CNN called the 'most widespread day of political action in the planet's history.' On 10/10/10, we organized a day of climate solutions projects--from solar panel installations to community garden plantings--and changed communities from the bottom up with over 7,000 events in 188 countries. And at the end of last year, we coordinated a climate art project so large it had to be photographed from a satellite in outer space.You can see a video about the incredible climate art project here.
There are many ideas available on their website for reducing your carbon emissions. I am using one of these as my pledge for the week of July 4, called the "2 Mile Challenge." It is a challenge to use your bicycle instead of your car for at least all trips within two miles of home. Roughly 30% of greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector, so one of the most effective ways an individual can contribute to a more energy efficient system is by choosing to ride a bike or walk over driving a car. The website says that 40% of all urban travel is 2 miles or less per trip, and 90% of that is by car. So you can cut your transportation carbon emissions almost in half by taking this challenge with me, if you will! The 2 Mile Challenge website allows you to first join a team (pick the blue team to support 350.org), quickly register, and then log your miles periodically (I am going to add walking as a mode of transportation in that challenge, because I also enjoy putting one foot in front of the other). At the end of the challenge, 119 days from now, Cliff Bars will donate $100,000 to the winning team. At least 76,000 car trips will be avoided and 80,000 pounds of CO2 prevented from entering our atmosphere.
That's right, for every mile you drive, one pound of CO2 is released into the air. Imagine if for every mile you drove, you threw a pound of trash out the window. You would feel pretty guilty, wouldn't you? Well, just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there. I've tried to keep that little fact in mind as I drive or decide not to drive, and it has really helped me to understand the harm that driving a car causes.
That's right, for every mile you drive, one pound of CO2 is released into the air. Imagine if for every mile you drove, you threw a pound of trash out the window. You would feel pretty guilty, wouldn't you? Well, just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there. I've tried to keep that little fact in mind as I drive or decide not to drive, and it has really helped me to understand the harm that driving a car causes.
Finally, because today is American Independence Day, I want to offer a patriotic reminder for why making these efforts is so important. It is imperative that America attempts to be greener through individual lifestyle changes, policy changes, government regulation, and scientific innovation. With carbon emissions at their current levels and rising, there is no other option than to be greener if we want to remain a wealthy, sustainable, and healthy society. We are currently lagging in that department, as you can read in this recent New York Times article: "U.S. Said to Be Falling Behind in the Business of 'Green." It's up to us Americans as incredibly influential global citizens to step up to the plate, innovate, and illustrate our ability to solve a global crisis. I hope you have an optimistic Fourth of July by thinking of ways to support our country in a red, white, blue, and green way. ;p
(This blog is inspired by the summer internship I am doing with Oregon Environmental Council. Their website has a plethora of resources for becoming greener, from making non-toxic cleaning products to choosing more sustainable wines: http://www.oeconline.org/)
Have now been car-less for the past two years! It's awesome. Looking forward to reading the rest of the pledges!
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