Bill McKibben and 350.org

350.orgI like Bill McKibben. He’s the coordinator of the 350.org project, a scholar in residence at Middlebury College out east, and he writes for the Boston Globe. Watch this video of a great speech from him: http://bit.ly/2YJVfG

I am working on a 350.org project myself, an online carbon neutral concert fundraiser through an organization called Artfulchange- our project is one of several thousand around the world taking part in the October 24th 350.org International Day of Climate Action.

I like 350.org for two reasons: 1) They made what I think is the most compelling video about the dangers and hopes around climate change- this video is narrated by a child representing our collective future asking why we didn’t do anything and features a man in a suit looking through his papers out in the ocean while the tide comes up and engulfs him. I like the video because it conveys the danger without forsaking the hope. And there’s a great kicker at the end that involves a very creative use of the F-bomb.

2) I write about climate change for a living, and my roommate always looks at me like, what do you do? When I started talking about the 350 number, he was like, “That’s great. That’s the first time I’ve heard a concrete number I can actually hold onto with all of that. And you’re saying we’re already past that? That’s not good.” I love that.

350.org has been a great vehicle for driving awareness if not action. It’s gotten a lot of press coverage and encouraged a lot of people to get community actions going. Hopefully the message will make it to Obama, and then to everyone sitting around the desks at COP15. Afterall, even if the rest of us change a lightbulb or two, those are the folks who have to move the %ages and come home with enough political capital to not get hung.

In his Boston Globe article today, he argues that for Obama to really push the envelope at Copenhagen he will have to take radical action similar to some of the many of the publicity-minded 350.org projects, or the underwater Maldivian cabinet meeting:

“By comparison, Obama has it easy. He would definitely suffer some political heat for a tougher stance on climate, but so far the very existence of his nation isn’t in danger. It would risk real political capital to push for change on the scale that the science demands. Since even a politician of his talents can’t amend the laws of nature, though, let’s hope that beginning today he’s willing to take some real risks.”

Agreed. It will take risking everything, and possibly throwing in the towel for 2012. But it would secure his legacy down the road- and that’s what I hear so many presidents talk about. But imagine if Obama actually stood up and gave a speech the way he can give a speech, told everyone to forget about healthcare and financial politics, and that the only thing that is important, the only place to put ALL of our collective world energy, is toward solving that crisis- NOW.

Imagine that speech…

Image Credit: 350.org