Ecominds-a Mailing List: October 24th International Day of Climate Action

[Ralph Wyman (rwmuusja]

EcoMinders & Friends - I'm out in California spending a couple of days with
the UU Legislative Ministry of California.  One of the things I did for them
was draft a page for their web site for 350.org/International Day of Climate
Action.  Here's the text, thought it might help your congregation get
inspired.

Lindi Ramsden, UULM-CA's exec dir, is going to see if we can get a specific
"UU/350" responsive reading written that can be used in congregations, or
for UU reflection if we visit an existing 350.org action.

More soon.

- Ralph

 
===

International Day of Climate Action - October 24

The next weeks and months are critical for addressing global warming. 
Starting December 7th, 2009, for a span of eleven days, leaders from the
world's nations will meet at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in
Copenhagen, Denmark.

This conference must reach new agreements so that action to reduce
greenhouse gasses will start in time to avert catastrophic warming.

The United States needs to be on a new footing after our lack of leadership
in the earlier Kyoto round.  The US House has passed climate legislation,
and the Senate will begin debating their bill in a matter of days. Passing
and signing a climate bill before the Copenhagen meeting is essential to
sending an empowered and credible US delegation to Copenhagen.

The US team must arrive at that conference with our voices ringing in their
ears, calling them to take strong action.  On October 24th, International
Day of Climate Action, we will join together worldwide in calling for
lowering atmospheric CO2 levels to 350 parts per million.

What's 350?  Scientists largely agree that if we continue to allow the
amount of carbon in the atmosphere to exceed 350 parts per million (ppm), we
can't sustain a planet similar to the one we know, and to which life on
Earth is adapted. Currently, the CO2 in the atmosphere measures well above
350 ppm.

350 represents more than just a benchmark for a safe climate - there are
deep moral and spiritual reasons for getting back below 350. The 2006
Unitarian Universalist Statement of Conscience on Climate Change begins:

        "Earth is our home. We are part of this world and its destiny is our
own. Life on this planet will be gravely affected unless we embrace new
practices, ethics, and values to guide our lives on a warming planet. We
declare...that we will not acquiesce to the ongoing degradation and
destruction of life that human actions are leaving to our children and
grandchildren. We as Unitarian Universalists are called to join with others
to halt practices that fuel global warming/climate change, to instigate
sustainable alternatives, and to mitigate the impending effects of global
warming/climate change with just and ethical responses. As a people of
faith, we commit to a renewed reverence for life and respect for the
interdependent web of all existence."

Call to Action

MUUSJA, the UU Ministry for Earth, the UU State Advocacy Networks, the
UU-United Nations Office , the UUA Green Sanctuary Program , and the UUA
Office for Advocacy and Witness all join together to call upon your UU
congregation to participate in the International Day of Climate Action.

By pledging your participation, your UU congregation will join an
unprecedented global grassroots call for a bold target of 350 and begin to
reduce and mitigate climate disruption immediately.

Plan now - Act on October 24th

Please organize an action in your congregation or community on October 24,
something that will make the number 350 visible to everyone. People in more
than 1000 communities around the globe have already announced plans.  There
will be school children planting 350 trees in Bangladesh, scientists hanging
banners saying 350 on the statues on Easter Island, 350 scuba divers diving
underwater at the Great Barrier Reef, and thousands more creative actions
like these.

At each event, people will gather for a group photo that depicts 350 - and
upload that photo to the website www.350.org. As actions take place around
the world, all the pictures will be linked via the web-and by the end of the
day, a powerful visual petition from the entire planet will be delivered to
the media and world leaders.

A few suggestions:

? Make a poster with "350" on it and stand with other congregants on a busy
corner near your church for an hour on October 24th - to get people curious
about 350.  Print this hand-bill
(http://www.350.org/files/materials/350_qp_flyer_ltr.pdf page 2) to give to
people who ask for more info.
? Do a responsive reading at your Sunday service that reflects our UU
commitment to action on justice & include this info in the Sunday bulletin: 

        "350. It?s more than a number, it signifies the safe upper limit of
CO2 in our atmosphere. It?s a symbol of where we need to head as a planet. 
It's a target for transforming the world we have into the world we want."
? Send a delegation from your congregation to one of at least 22
International Day of Climate Action events already planned around Minnesota
- and bring your congregational banner (and a camera) to demonstrate UU
support.  http://www.350.org/map#/map/
? Find other resources and suggestions at the UUMFE's 350 page.
http://www.uuministryforearth.org/350.htm 

350.org sums up the need for action:

"This is like a final exam for human beings. Can we muster the courage, the
commitment, and the creativity to set this Earth on a steady course before
it's too late? October 24 will be the joyful, powerful day when we prove
it's possible."