PlanPhilly: Planning Philadelphia's Future

ORGANIZED RALLY ON INDEPENDENCE MALL:
Climate change is focus

On Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 1pm in the afternoon, citizens will gather on Independence Mall at 5th and Market Streets on the International Day of Climate Action! 

Activities will consist of a keynote speaker, radical industrialist and environmental heavyweight, Ray Anderson, and forming the human graphic of the numerals “350” which will be photographed from above. 

The focus is on the number 350--as in parts per million, the level scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The earth is already above the safe zone at 390ppm, and unless we are able to rapidly return to 350ppm this century, we risk reaching tipping points and irreversible climate impacts.

350.org is an international campaign with a mission to inspire the world to rise to the challenge of the climate crisis and is happy to report that Philadelphia will be a part of that campaign!
The visual demonstration of the number 350 will be undulating across the globe on the 24th of October to bring our world leaders’ attention to the significance of the number prior to meeting in this December’s U.N. Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.  At the conference, delegates, businesses, and non-governmental organizations from every nation will meet to finalize a new global climate change agreement.  The problem is, the treaty currently on the table doesn't meet the severity of the climate crisis.

Anderson’s company, InterfaceFLOR, is a sponsor of the local grass roots campaign.


Local contact for more info and interviews:  Drew Lavine, 415.425.1121, 350philly@gmail.com

Local website: www.350philly.org

International website, including photos from the 2008 demonstrations around the world: www.350.org

Short video on what 350.org is about: http://www.youtube.com/user/350org

Founder and director of 350.org, Bill McKibben on Comedy Central’s the Colbert Report:  http://www.350.org/billoncolbert