350: Will THIS climate event save the world?

My friend wrote this in response to my organizing a 350 event:
Can I be just a bit, um, candid? You know, somewhat controversial?
What exactly did you do besides sit as a group to make a 350 out of people? What did this solve? If all people involved are already "aware", then how did this make others "aware"? Did you go home and feel accomplished, therefore only serving your individual egos? Did anyone drive to this event?
I'm seriously tarnished by the excessive "I care so I'm aware" idealism that takes place in such a passive movement. Seriously, it's like dandelions growing through the cracks on the sidewalks of Wall Street. There's no serious opposition to corporatism nor does the ever presence of fundamental greed cease.
I watched the marchers on the G-20 protest. There was no organization. There was 80 different purposes moving like free-radicals without a cause. It looked like a Star Trek convention. Protest? Boo... Not at all, instead it was a freak march where few dared to seriously test the establishment. Nor did any of these "protesters" garner any support such that they might grow a voice.
Just call me the curmudgeon. I'm old and disenchanted by false pretense or my sense of "been there done that". Yeah, I'm jaded. But also frustrated that most "movements" are so benign, that all you end up with is a photograph and some hugs and kisses.
Where's the real fight?

I WROTE THIS IN RESPONSE TO HIS RESPONSE: Wow...I appreciate your candor but sadly, you are jaded...go to http://www.350.org and watch/read all about why we did what we did in over 150 countries at over 5,000 events leading to the Climate Conference to be held in Copenhagen in December...no egos boosted here...sure it felt good to be a part of something so large but this was not a selfish act but rather quite a selfless one...and few drove to the event...I did because I had a car full of stuff to unload as did the musicians--I personally put a lot of time, energy, work, and money into making this event happen but it was all out of the goodness of my heart and several donated in order to help me with the cost of things...join me on facebook if you want to see the full photo album or I can snapfish you the photos...we had a picnic, distributed baby trees to plant to help clean the air we breath, exchanged info, actually gathered face-to-face and not online...we also danced and listened to a live local reggae artist who sang of love and respect for each other and the planet...it was an amazing gathering of amazing people who care enough to get out of their homes, take a stand, and show the world that they believe in and care about what we are doing to our planet and in-turn to ourselves. Read "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle to get a feel of the beautiful peaceful place I am living my life from especially since losing my job in June and having to "deal with" what life dishes out by living in the now and only the now because that is all we have my friend. And geez, what's wrong with some hugs and kisses? The world needs more of those and less "fight".
Peace,
TR

It will only be successful if we aren't sitting here next year planning another event because we were ignored again in Copenhagen. But then again, I don't understand why so many are looking to government to do it all when the solutions lie with us. I'm also not downing this event and even placed a video here today to express that. However, as I stated before and in the video I posted here today, we need more because we are still talking to a status quo system that has already ignored every event of the last thirty years to still continue to do what they wish in also ignoring the science of this. It is also unfortunate that my opinion would then be the focus here because I didn't fawn unadulterated praise in lieu of my honesty and sincere concern. Do you not agree that this planet is now at the stage where planning bike rides and pumpkin carving festivals is at best a step that should have been completed ten years ago? We are moving too slow as climate change moves too fast. So when you plan those sit ins, let me know, I'll be there, because this isn't about getting notoriety, this is about saving the planet from ourselves.

While drinking 350 pints at 3:50 may seem insignificant, Jan, it gets people talking. With any hope, people who are involved in this event will not be expending carbon by driving around town. You have to give people who care about this event a little more credit, rather than assuming they are dumb enough to waste gas and spread pollution. We have public transportation, here in Portland, as well as bikes.

There are still several cities in the US that do not support or supply recycling opportunites, or any green practices for that matter. So, yes, perhaps there are better ways to celebrate and spread awareness about 350. But the information, and education, about 350 and green practices in general, had been somewhat limited in the recent past.

Maybe 350 coal plant sit-ins would be a better demonstration of the importance of this event and organization, but many of you speak as if it is too late to do just that. This post has all of us talking, suggesting more significant options of getting the word out that we need to clean up our environment. And these suggestions are more than possible to put into practice. That said, don't you find it to be a successful organization/event?

A real benefit to the action that I just helped organize is that a lot of people got together that would not have spoken/seen each other otherwise. We are building a grassroots army of volunteers, not unlike what was mobilized for President Obama's campaign.

I felt empowered, here in St. Louis, as we were able to have the Mayor of Saint Louis and other prominent community leaders speak (though a audio system powered by solar energy, no less) to many folks that we invited down to the Saint Louis Arch. This "action at the arch" was fruitful for us, and many of the folks that came by offered their time for future "actions." I'm very excited to see where this takes us.

I went and it was pretty fruitful. I signed a petition and got involved.

Whether it works doesn't matter so much as developing wider support for the idea.

I'm with Jan on this one. Why didnt they use their organizing efforts to manifest something real and effective, like 350 coal plant sit-ins?

I don't dislike it, I just question its effectiveness in talking to a system that has ignored us for thirty years. How many events have there been in that time? I could tell you how many I've participated in. How many petitions I have signed. How many blog posts I have written. How many letters to Congress I have written. How many people I have spoken to about this. And how long I have lived my life walking as softly on this planet as I possibly can. And still here we are. So I am sorry if I don't actually believe this will spark some mass higher consciousness on the part of politicians who have been allowing the pollution that has led us to this crisis. Will they suddenly have an attack of conscience? Not if their wallets tell them otherwise, and that is the reality we have been dealing with. If this does bring that epiphany by some miracle, great. I may just decide to send out 350 mails to Congress to tell them that they are not doing right by this planet by allowing coal and oil to dictate policy over the science and the health of our planet and people. But there comes a point where you have to admit that they don't really care how many letters are sent as long as in the end they get their way. So if this climate bill goes through and does not have the carbon caps that will work to bring us to 350 even after tomorrow then what? If Copenhagen still ignores the indigenous peoples and poor of the world who are feeling the effects of this most and allows companies like Monsanto to actually get carbon credits for deforesting land in South America to grow monoculture crops, then what. Another event?

The first thing that I thought about when first hearing about this 350 thing is that it highlights, whether it was its intention or not, that the power is in the peoples' hands. What if 350 scientists and progressive students and activists ran for congress in all 50 states!!!??? I detest the political landscape in our country, but I still have this pull towards it because it IS a place where change could have long lasting effect. Its 'a' place though and NOT 'the' place. If everyone made necessary lifestyle changes on their own no one would care about what happened on capitol hill. What if we could change the political tides though??? Current TV is a wonderful counter to the Foxes and CNNs that fuel the ignorance and apathy that our mass media world promotes. Yes, Portlanders showing their support by drinking 350 pints might seem trite. I love this 350 movement though because instead of telling the people this is too confusing and the science is still wishy washy, it stands up and gives a tangible goal that we are all smart enough to understand and grasp. With that kind of hold on the situation, we can be better informed to make the NECESSARY changes in OUR lives to bring concentration on CO2 down in the atmosphere. SO, I hope that portlanders ride their bikes or walk to the bar on Saturday, and I hope the beer they drink is made with solar power, and I hope they can stomach the fact that it takes 6 pints of water to make 1 pint of beer:) oh yeah water scarcity, don't get me started. Its all the same issue:)

GLOBAL WARMING IS NATURAL!

THESE GUYS ARE TRYING 2 MAKE A QUICK BUCK OFF OF THE 350 MACHINE

350 hits of Acid
HURRAY!

Wow, I'm surprised to hear such strong feelings of dislike for this campaign. They have a very clear intention of using this initiative to influence political leaders as they prepare for Copenhagen, not to necessarily educate people how to make the changes themselves. It seems like its going to take people from all directions: some who approach the individual, and others who approach political leaders.

Not evil just wrong is just stupid... and politically motivated.

Is walking into a pub at 3:50 to drink down 350 pints going to stop the Arctic from melting? Nope. We won't see any progress on this politically until we change the status quo political system impeding progress. So how about getting 350 young people to run for Congress to kick the real fossils out? I don't mean to sound like a downer, but we are doing all of this Saturday and I am sure many will be driving to events expending carbon while the same politicians work to craft bills and treaties that only serve the very corporations polluting the planet. So how do we make real change out here if we still need them and they aren't on our side?