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10:10 To WiserEarth: Are we there yet?: "

Have you signed up at 10:10 global yet? Found a work party near you? Figured out how you, your workplace, home or community can cut carbon emissions by 10%? Read the latest from Cian O’Donovan and Jill MacIntyre, 10:10 Global Social Network Coordinator and US Coordinator.

From Auckland to Ajijic and New Zealand to Zimbabwe: Let’s DO IT!

By Cian O’Donovan, Social Network Coordinator

It’s been a tough year for those of us on the anthropogenic climate change beat. From Copenhagen to the Gulf of Mexico, things have looked pretty grim at times. Which is all the more reason why the 10th of October might be the most important date left on this year’s calendar.

10:10 has joined forces with 350 to co-ordinate 10:10:10 – the biggest-ever day of positive action on climate change on Sunday, 10th October, 2010. The idea is simple: together we can trigger a tidal wave of emissions reductions, and send a powerful message to world leaders that we are already two steps ahead, busy cutting carbon in local communities, businesses and organizations on every continent. We may even be able to have a little fun doing it!

The idea is for a truly global day of action, with events from Auckland to Ajijic. 10,000 schools across eastern Europe and Russia are planting 101010 trees. A group in Honolulu are getting together to sell unwanted bikes to cash-strapped students. In Karachi, a project there is teaching local women to use fuel-efficient stoves. And the 350 Burundi campaign is hosting an artistic competition to get secondary school students to use low-carbon transport.

10:10 in Ghana - photo by 1010uk

Here in the UK many of our most well known brands and organisations are on-board: The Royal Mail, Premier League soccer club Tottenham Hotspur and mobile phone operator O2 are all getting involved in the event. And that Great British institution, the Sunday roast, is getting a low carbon makeover with households up and down the British Isles tucking into a planet-friendlier family meal. So for this day of action, we’re replacing homemade placards with locally grown potatoes.

October 10th comes just over one year after the launch of 10:10 at London’s Tate Modern. In that time 10:10 has pushed its simple, positive aim into every sector of UK society. Hundreds of schools and universities, thousands of businesses and organisations and individuals in their droves have committed to cut their carbon emissions by 10% in a 12 month period. 10:10’s goal is to celebrate these successes and inspire even more people to start cutting their carbon.

10/10/10 event in Mysore, India - photo by 350.org

The 10/10/2010 date was ringed from the start on 10:10’s calendar, and to scale the day up to a truly global audience we are working with 350, an organisation with more than a little pedigree in this area. In October 2009, 350 were behind what CNN called “the most widespread day of political action in the planet’s history”, and organized thousands of demonstrations in 181 countries.

10:10:10 is self-consciously not a stand-alone event. Much like the 10:10 message itself, the day’s primary aim is to provide a kick-start to immediate carbon reduction programmes and effect lasting behaviour changes at all levels of society. The 350-led Put Solar On is a great example of this kind of activism. World leaders are being asked to set an example to their nations and put a little solar power on top of their official residencies – or, in President Obama’s case, to re-install the cells Jimmy Carter put on the White House way back in the day.

Full information on the day can be found at http://1010global.org/uk/101010 and sign-up for events are taking place at http://350.org/10oct. With only a few weeks to go the global map is rapidly filling up.

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Spread the Movement

by Jill MacIntyre, 10:10 Global US Coordinator

We are nearing a month away from our Global Work Party Day on 10/10/10 and the buzz is in the air! Many organizations from around the world are joining efforts with 350.org to create a worldwide climate movement. The debate is over and even the famous Danish climate skeptic Bjorn Lomborg has “changed his tune”and put forth an exhaustive effort to help with his latest upcoming book, Smart Solutions to Climate Change: Comparing Costs and Benefit. Statisticians like Lomborg, along with economists and scientists globally have worked tirelessly on the climate change issue producing fewer results than we need at this point. Yes, there are larger powers at play…the gas, coal and oil industries to name a few.

Author and 350.org founder, Bill McKibben, said it best in his David Letterman interview the other day, “until we build a movement big enough to challenge them, we won’t solve it, but we can do that!” In fact, 350.org held the largest day of political action last year with over 5200 demonstrations in 181 countries. See the 2 minute video of that day and get the chills!

Our 10:10 campaign simply helps to spread this movement. We urge people to NOT just take action to reduce their carbon emissions 10%, starting this year, but to also spread the word! This is where everyone reading this comes into play. Our actions are part of the problem and can be part of the solution.

Yes, do spread the word and encourage your friends, neighbors and co-workers to lower their carbon emissions. The movement is not just about moving people to action but to expect our political leaders to do something about it too. I remember Obama urging people during his campaign to talk to our neighbors, colleagues, friends and family about issues that matter. We need to not just spread the word, but spread this movement. So, what are you doing October 10th? Find a work party near you or follow this 10 step guide to organize one yourself. Here are some ideas to get you started. Spread the word with everyone you know in your home, office or neighborhood and help spread the movement!

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