Fwd: Good news.

[Eric Broadbent]

See the announcement about the international "Connect the Dots" day on May 5 from 350.org's founder Bill McKibben below (one of the heroes of our times in my view).

May 5 is our "weatherization barnraising" - which is what the HEET folks call these work-days.

It's a wonderfully opportune convergence - because for many of us the reason to reduce our energy usage is not just economic, but to reduce carbon emissions and to reduce our collective footprint.  Therefore the effort to make our church more energy-efficient is totally in keeping with a day of climate awareness and action.

However, if we are to participate conceptually in the "connect-the-dots" day, it may require a little creativity to incorporate some "dots" into our activities.

There are many ideas here: http://www.climatedots.org/creative-action-ideas/

I suppose we could think of each air leak that we seal as a "dot", and then count up our dots for the day and then take a picture of everyone holding up a poster with that many dots drawn on it... or something... ?

Anyone want to help create some connect-the-dots buzz around this and get the congregation into it?

Either way, we need to encourage participation from the congregation in this event somehow.  Elinor did a great job of getting it into the Belfry, and there needs to be more visibility over the next few weeks.

We have participated in 350.org events before as a congregation - a few years ago there was quite a gathering on the common with our minister and the congregational church minister participating, and 350 tolls of our churches' bells.   Can we create some energy around this event too?  Can there be an RE component here too?

-Eric

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Bill McKibben - 350.org" <organ...@350.org>

Date: April 19, 2012 1:51:22 PM EDT

To: Eric Broadbent <ebroa...@mac.com>

Subject: Good news.

Reply-To: "Bill McKibben - 350.org" <organ...@350.org>

Dear friends,

Good news this time.

At some point every one of us at 350 has thought to ourselves a little despairingly: is the world ever going to catch on to climate change? Today is one of those days when it feels like it just might happen.

A story on the front page of yesterday’s New York Times described a new poll -- Americans in record numbers are understanding that the planet is warming because they’re seeing the “freaky” weather that comes with climate change.

And the story ends by describing the next step in this process: May 5, the giant Connect the Dots day that people are joining all around the globe: www.ClimateDots.org

When the zeitgeist conspires to help our efforts, we need to make the most of it. Two weeks is plenty of time to organize a beautiful photo for May 5, one that will help spread this idea. Are you in a place where flood and rain have caused havoc? Ten people with umbrellas can make a memorable “climate dot” for all the world to see. You’ll think of something appropriate for your place -- and you can find lots of examples and ideas here.

This movement is growing quickly, and with not a moment to spare -- new data from scientists like Jim Hansen at NASA shows that our carbon emissions have already made extreme weather many times more likely. We can’t take back the carbon we’ve already poured into the atmosphere, but if we work together hard and fast then we can keep it from getting steadily worse.

Earth Day is coming up this weekend, and there will be thousands of events across the US. Each one of them is a great place to spread the word about the big day of action on 5/5. When you’re on the front page of the Times it’s a sign that the message is starting to get through -- but only one American in 300 reads that newspaper. Now it’s up to all of us to make sure that everyone around the world gets the message, and Connect the Dots day on 5/5 is our best chance to do that. Please join us. 

Onwards,

Bill McKibben for 350.org

P.S. It is key to remember that these photos from May 5 are not just for their effect on that day. We need a bank of images showing the human face of global warming -- pictures we’ll use for the hard and direct political work of the next few years. If people don’t know there’s a problem, they won’t try to solve it. So let’s show them on 5/5. Here's a heartbreaking example, from some local activists in Texas:

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ARTICLES & INFO

• Poll: Americans are Connecting the Dots (New York Times Article) | go.350.org/IyR9Lr
• March Heat Records Crush Cold Records by Over 35 To 1, Scientists Say Global Warming Loaded The Dice | ThinkProgress go.350.org/HRdwLb

 

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