Jump to content

350.org

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
350.org
TypeNGO
HeadquartersUSA (international)
Key peopleBill McKibben
Area servedWorldwide
FocusClimate change
MethodDirect action, lobbying
Website350.org
350.org "Forward on Climate" protest in Washington DC, USA

350.org is an international environmental organization.[1] It was started by author Bill McKibben,[2] with the goal of building a global grassroots movement to fight against global warming and the climate change denial of global warming. However the main goal is to lower the emissions of carbon dioxide[3][4] and other greenhouse gases in order to avoid climate change problems.

The name 350.org comes the research of scientist Dr. James Hansen. He wrote in a scientific paper in 2007 that the level of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere should not be higher than 350 parts-per-million (ppm). According to scientific research this is a safe maximum to avoid a climate tipping point.[5][6][7]

Membership

[change | change source]

350.org works with over 300 other organizations around the world.[8][9] It has had people supporting the organization as "messengers".[10][11] Among them are Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Alex Steffen,[12][13] Bianca Jagger and David Suzuki. Van Jones and Gus Speth are on 350's U.S. Advisory Council.[14] 350.org has a Board of Directors.

Projects

[change | change source]

Keystone XL pipeline

[change | change source]

350.org is strongly against the Keystone XL pipeline project. The pipeline is currently being built to transport tar sand oil from Canada through the United States to oil refineries in the Gulf of Mexico. NASA climatologist James Hansen described the Keystone XL pipeline as "game over" for the planet, and called the amount of carbon stored in Canadian tar sands a "fuse to the largest carbon bomb on the planet".[15]

Fossil Fuel Divestment

[change | change source]

350.org wants colleges and universities, as well as cities, religious institutions, and pension funds to withdraw their investments from fossil fuel companies. They propose the money should rather be invested in sustainable companies.

"If it is wrong to wreck the climate, then it is wrong to profit from that wreckage. We want institutions to immediately freeze any new investment in fossil fuel companies, and divest from direct ownership and any commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds within 5 years."

— 350.org[16]

Do The Math: The Movie

[change | change source]

The Do The Math movie[17] is a 42-minute documentary about the movement, the science behind the climate crisis and how to end the age of fossil fuels.

Connect the Dots 5.May.2012

[change | change source]

The organization's efforts continued into 2012 with a Climate Impacts Day on May 5th of worldwide series of rallies under the slogan "Connect the Dots," to draw attention to the links between climate change and extreme weather.

People's Climate March

[change | change source]

350 helped helped organize the People's Climate March, which took place on September 21, 2014.[18]

[change | change source]

References

[change | change source]
  1. In an Otago Daily Times article, 350.org is described as "an environmental organisation Archived 2011-06-09 at the Wayback Machine which is trying to reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas (for reference see example Gilbert Plass Scientific American July 1959 article), in the atmosphere from more than 385 parts per million to 350 parts per million."
  2. Scott, Cameron (2009-10-15). "The Thin Green Line : Warming up for Copenhagen". The San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2011-01-27. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  3. Plass, Gilbert N. "Carbon Dioxide and Climate". Scientific American. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
  4. "Our Team's History". 350.org. Retrieved 2009-10-18.
  5. http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/2008/2008_Hansen_etal.pdf Archived 2011-10-22 at the Wayback Machine Target Atmospheric CO2: Where Should Humanity Aim? -James Hansen NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies
  6. Fact sheet: The need for mitigation.United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. June 2009. (Retrieved 2009-09-01.)
  7. McKibben, Bill (2007-12-28). "Remember This: 350 Parts Per Million". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2009-09-01.
  8. "Friends & Allies". 350.org. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
  9. "People". 350.org. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
  10. "Take Action - Campaigns - 350.org - the ultimate climate change campaign?". The Ecologist. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
  11. "Emergency Appeal - Please, We Urgently Need Your Help Now!". Z Communications. Retrieved 2009-10-26.[permanent dead link]
  12. Alex Steffen. "Books". Alexsteffen.com. Retrieved 2015-06-06.
  13. "350 Messengers". 350.org. 2007-12-10. Archived from the original on 2012-10-24. Retrieved 2012-11-06.
  14. "Meet the 350.org Team". 350.org.
  15. "NASA's Hansen Explains Decision to Join Keystone Pipeline Protests". 29 August 2011 – via www.reuters.com.
  16. "About Fossil Free". Fossil Free.
  17. Do the math - the movie on YouTube (english with international subtitles)
  18. Lisa W. Foderaro (17 September 2014). "Busy Days Precede a March Focusing on Climate Change". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 December 2016.

Other websites

[change | change source]