350 Day!

Today is International Day of Climate Action, promoted by 350.org, whose mission is to inspire the world to rise to the challenge of the climate crisis—to create a new sense of urgency and of possibility for our planet.

Today people in 181 countries are coming together for the most widespread day of environmental action in the planet's history. At over 5200 events around the world. people are gathering to call for strong action and bold leadership on the climate crisis.

We began our celebration today by joining about 30 students, teachers and parents who gathered this morning to clear land on school property to create a vegetable garden. Led by two dedicated permaculturists from the organization Huertas Donde Sea!! our group toiled hard for four hours under the tropical sun, swinging pick axes, working shovels to dig up grass, using the wheel barrel to cart it away.

Yes, it could have been done faster by a small group of adults using machinery (and some adults thought that might have been a good idea), but that would have missed the point. Creating a garden isn't something to get done quickly, with as little work as possible, so you can check it off your list.

Creating a garden is about communing with the Earth. Touching it is a good place to start! Planting a garden, in the manner of permaculture, is also about creating community. A small group of adults doing it all with machines would have totally missed the greater purpose. And moments of clarity like this one, from a seventh grade boy as he dug in the dirt:

"I am suddenly remembering that I used to garden with my grandmother when I was little. I loved that time with her and with the earth. Now I spend most of my free time watching TV or playing soccer. I'm glad I came today. Can I come next week?"

For more information on climate change and the international day of action, visit 350.org For a cool video on climate change check this out.

Don't Forget to Turn Out the Lights

One of the most serious global challenges the planet is facing right now is climate change. What are we doing about it? Well, for starters, on Saturday, March 28th at 8:30 pm millions of people are expected to participate in the WWF's Earth Hour, a movement dedicated to the global concern for climate change.

From the US to Dubai, from Paris to Sydney, people all over the globe will turn out their lights in order to send a clear message about the urgent need for action. Earth Hour is expected to be four times as successful as last year with some 2,500 cities in 82 countries participating in the record breaking event by turning off the lights for one hour. A call for action this loud simply cannot go unheard.

Some of the high-profile landmarks around the globe committed to Earth Hour include:
Empire State Building (New York City, USA)
Eiffel Tower (Paris, France)
Stockholm Castle (Stockholm, Sweden)
The Egyptian Pyramids (Egypt)
Sydney Opera House (Sydney, Australia)
Christ the Redeemer (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
The Las Vegas Strip (Las Vegas, Nevada)
And many, many more...

Global warming is effecting the environment as well as human life more seriously than ever before. Melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and extreme weather all over the world are just a few of the consequences caused by climate change. And it's only expected to get worse unless serious actions are taken to reduce carbon footprints around the globe.

In Dan Forman's article "From Sea to Shining Sea," WWF CEO Carter Roberts says that "Turning off the lights is just the beginning. We're asking everyone to also make commitments to reduce their energy use during the rest of the year and to ask their elected representatives to do the right thing because we need climate legislation now." (Click here for the whole article)

And he's right; we can't just turn out our lights for one hour, one night and expect change to happen on its own...but it can happen with our continued efforts and education. The first step is a willingness to adhere to new, eco-friendly behavior, such as using fluorescent light bulbs and unplugging appliances when they aren't being used.

Let's work together to fight global warming, reduce the effects of climate change and improve the prognosis for the future of our planet, even if it means turning off one light switch at a time!

For more information about Earth Hour and ways to get involved visit www.EarthHourUs.org