Politics 1100

David Hubert
November 23, 2014

The 350 Movement

By Lyza Hermosillo

There are many reasons why people should get involved in helping the
environment. But many do not see the need or the urgency of environmental issues.
What can one person do really to help the climate and environment. Well the an
organization called 350 is making it easier and more fun to become involved in helping
the earth and making a difference.
When I first went to 350.org for research I was drawn to the look it was
refreshingly updated with twitter, news and pictures. The bright colors and easy
navigation made it easy for me to find information fast and also kept me interested. Just
from the homepage I knew what this organization was about. It is a global climate
movement to get people from all around the world educated on the rising CO2 levels
that are harmful to humans and our earth.
There is a video that explains what 350 means and how it will help save the
earth. "With over 4000 languages spoken around the world, words dont always get the
point across. This wordless animation explains 350.org in 90 seconds"(350.org). And in
90 seconds it showcases how the CO2 levels are rising and if they keep rising we will
have major environmental issues, it then shows how 350 a safe CO2 level will help the
earth and climate. To finish of the video it shows that through campaigns, the internet
and awareness we can help the CO2 levels drop to 350.

This is a global climate movement but the team knows that they need to start
locally if they want to make an impact globally. They have a local map that shows
organizations and groups in your own area. I was surprised to even see one in Salt
Lake City called Resistance which 'is pushing our Republican congressional
representatives to adopt a carbon fee and dividend bill and Transition town Salt Lake
city is experimenting with models of resiliency'(350.org). With the local map it shows
people that people in your own area are making a difference and pushes you to join.
350 was founded by author Bill McKibben and a group of students from
Middlebury College. McKibben is an American environmentalist and writer who wrote
one of the first books on global warming The End of Nature for the general public, and
frequently writes about climate change, alternative energy, and the need for
more localized economies.
Mckibben is not only a author or just the founder of 350.org he is the definition of
an environmentalist. Bill has been writing books for 25 years. His first book, The End of
Nature, was published in 1989, and has been published worldwide in over 20
languages. His books range in topics from global warming to local communities to
genetic engineering to family (billmckibben.com). Sometime in the course of the past
decade I figured out that I needed to do more than writeif this fight was about power,
then we who wanted change had to assemble some (page 22 Oil and Honey). And he
has in 2006 he gathered a mass of people and walked across Vermont for five days and
slept in farm fields this was called the largest demonstration against climate change that
had yet taken place in the United States. This took place before he created 350.org he
wanted to bring more awareness so he created 350.org in 2007.

Bill wanted to create something big not just something locally that got a couple
newsletter but something global. He started recruiting young people that cared about
the environment to help him. He found seven highly passionate and intelligent kids to
help him further his work. He gave each kid a continent to branch out to and get them
involved. Mckibben says "Mostly we found people like ourselvesthere arent
environmentalists everywhere, but theres always someone worried about public
health or hunger or war and peace (page 23 Oil and Honey). This idea helped to get
people all around the world involved and in fall of 2009 they were ready to hold our first
global day of action. On that day there were 5,200 rallies in 181 countries CNN called
the most widespread day of action in the planets history. They didnt stop there they
followed it up with three more big global extravaganzasthousands of demonstrations
everywhere. Throughout the years Bill Mckibben has had his face out there making a
difference educating, rallying, and changing the planet through his work.
Not only does this organization educate the biggest and most important aspect is
the action. This meaning instead of learning and understanding the issue but getting
outside and doing something about it. When you choose get involved there is featured
campaigns that shows campaigns in the past and how they made a difference and get
local how to start your own campaign or be part of a current campaign locally. The
organization has had many campaigns that have been effective. Using traditional
canoes, 30 Pacific Climate Warriors paddled into the oncoming path of coal ships in an
effort to shut down the worlds biggest coal port for a day (350.org). Global Power Shift
is the starting point for a new phase in the international climate movement. First,
hundreds of climate leaders from around the world gathered in Istanbul to share stories,

learn skills, and sharpen strategies. These leaders have now returned to their home
countries to spark a wave of convergences, campaigns, and mobilizations for climate
action(globalpowershift.org). I brushed the surface of all the movements 350 has done I
urge you to go to the website and see all they been involved in.
Going through the website another aspect that I loved was all the news and
articles about different topic regarding the environment. You can easily choose a topic
and news and articles are shown to ensure that you are getting the most recent and
updated information. The articles are interesting and are on topics that I don't see in the
news so to be able to come to 350.org and find quality informative news on the
environment and other topics is reassuring.
350.org really connects not just with the young age but with all ages it has
something for all ages it's not boring or too trendy. It involves social media but still
keeps to news and articles as well. The 350 team understands that it needs to involve
the young age because they are more likely to be involved so they use social media and
art to attract the younger crowd. They have so many amazing images that show people
from around the world rallying, protesting and standing up for climate change. It was so
eye-opening to me personally to see such involvement from everywhere around the
world regardless of language and culture barriers everyone cares about the earth.
350.org is a great non-profit organization that is booming into a global movement. They
are educating on CO2 levels, involving not just locally but globally, and making people
get involved easy and efficient. Bill Mckibben has created something unique, creative,
educational and every growing. 350.org will keep progressing and getting larger and will
help the earth one movement at a time.

Just for fun I included some interesting Earth Art from the website.

"The Invisible Man" Liu Bolin

Moving Planet - Jonathan Darby

Works Cited

"Bill McKibben - Author. Educator. Environmentalist." Official Site for Bill

McKibben: Author. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2014

McKibben, Bill. Oil and Honey: The Education of an Unlikely Activist. N.p.: n.p.,
n.d. Print.

"350.org." 350.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.