350 is the top number you should be concerned with at the moment, at least from a climate change stand point. We know the climate is changing, we know that global warming is happening, but what can we do about it? Well, for one, we could reduce our carbon emissions but it’s not that simple. We have to reduce the emissions to the point where they are down to 350 parts per million (ppm). To give you some perspective, we are at 400+ parts per million (ppm) at the moment.
Before the 18th century, carbon dioxide emissions were at 275 ppm. After the 18th century, when people started burning coal and other fossil fuels resulting in the industrial revolution, the emissions shot up. If we don’t get them back down from 400 ppm, we will be facing some irreversible consequences. We already have glaciers melting and are facing extreme droughts and extreme floods but it could get worse. That’s why there are many organizations popping up to help raise awareness about these issues. For example, the 350 organization.
The 350 Organization
To raise awareness about the urgency of climate change, the 350 was founded in 2007 by Bill McKibben in California.The name is evidently inspired by the most important number for us right now.
Mission
The mission of the organization is evidently raising awareness for the issues of climate change in hopes of inspiring people to make a change. They have set up goals in order to achieve their mission. These goals include:
- Keeping Carbon in the ground: they want less fossil fuels to be extracted and they organize many campaigns to prevent that.
- Building a low-carbon society: they support communities to help them find alternative energy solutions.
- Pressuring governments to limit emissions: they do this by organizing large-scale events targeting leaders to take action.
Check out the video below about the 350 Organization:
What Else?
The 350 website is jam packed with information, be it the science processes or news on current climate issues, you can definitely find something that will interest you. In addition, they highly encourage participation from people all over the world who also want to spread their messages and goals so they have many DIY videos of signs and tools volunteers could make! They also organize many events throughout the year so be sure to check them out to see if they have any in your area.
Did you know about the 350 fact? What do you do to help reduce your carbon footprint? Let us know in the comments below!
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1 Comment
Great Arricle, but WOW, I cannot believe at what stage of global warming we are at!!! Project 350 needs to be publicized everywhere!