Nine Days Left

I got your attention didn't I?  But here's the problem.  Can you or anyone you know tell me what is nine days away? 

I thought so.  And that's part of the challenge we all face.  For the record, in nine days the International Day of Climate Action will arrive.  That's October 24th...a day designed to get people talking, and more importantly, doing things to bring about change. 

The goal of course is to make a big splash, to jump start our collective consciousness, and in so doing spur popular pressure to force decision makers to actually do something about onrushing climate change.

Of course, here in the U.S. the health care debate is sucking up all of the oxygen in Washington D.C.   That doesn't help.  Neither does the fact that lobbying organizations for those who would be most affected by climate change, like farmers and ranchers, are actively opposing or watering down proposals that are on the table in advance of the Copenhagen Climate Change summit in December.  Sigh...it appears the U.S. will join other industrialized nations in forwarding no bold initiatives.

Here's the rub.  We know now that climate change will impact our children and grandchildren in huge ways.  But its a gradual process.  So, like that bump that we ignore, we try to think about something else.  Because we can.  For now.

The southwest as a dust bowl?  Very likely if things don't change.  A global explosion of climate refugees?  How about 200 million by latest estimates.  And a sea level rise of 80 feet swamping our most important cities.

Perhaps a new approach is needed.  Don't think about climate change in terms of impacts on polar bears, or deserts.  Think about its impacts on your kid.  What crushing problems are we passing along?  What will they say about us if we don't act?  It is past irresponsible now to be the ostrich, with its head in the sand.  We owe our kids better.

So go to http://www.350.org/  Take action.  Ride your bike.  Make a sign.  Spread the 350 video virally.  It could help.