10/10/10: 350.org’s Global Work Day

A human 350 in '09 on a rainy NH Green

One of my very first blog posts was about 350.org’s first day of Climate Action — October 24, 2009. On that day people around the world — in 181 countries — hosted 5200 events designed to send a message that we need to get the amount of CO2 in our atmosphere back to the 350 parts per million that is the safe upper limit. The activities of this global movement were a huge story around the planet and made the front page of many newspapers, including the New York Times. This number “350” is where the organization gets its name.

Activists in New Haven, Connecticut struggled with intermittent rain and a blustery wind. Some rang the church bells at 3:50 pm, a symbolic 35 times, while a stalwart group formed the number 350 on the historic New Haven Green, a site for political actions since the city’s early days.

This year, 350.org has declared October 10 a “Global Work Party,” a day for people to get out and work to do something to help with global warming, with an “emphasis on both ‘work’ and ‘party.’” The goal of the day as stated by 350.org is “not to solve the climate crisis one project at a time, but to send a pointed political message: if we can get to work, you can get to work too—on the legislation and the treaties that will make all our work easier in the long run.”

On the site there is an interactive map for locating an event near you, and an easy way to sign up to host an event if there is not one in your area.

Here in New Haven, Act|NH is the organizing group. They list a number of work parties around the City, beginning with a potluck at noon, and concluding at 6. Pictured is just one example, a cleanup of the Farmington Canal Trail. 


There would seem to be something for everyone. Work and party on. The planet needs you.