On Saturday, October 24, people in more than 1,000 communities around the world will gather for
International Day of Climate Action, the first-ever global demonstration of its kind. And in the Twin Cities, numerous organizations are offering unique and family-friendly ways to express your desires for a greener world.
International Day of Climate Action takes place six weeks before the UN meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, where world leaders will gather to discuss a new climate treaty. And the grassroots initiative is part of a strategy to encourage global action that brings carbon levels back to 350 parts per million, hence the 350.org web site and the number's significance in demonstrations, including churches ringing bells 350 times and bodies forming the number "350" for pictures.
The Twin Cities will also offer a
handful of events and demonstrations, including one that allows people to pose for pictures that could be shown in Times Square on Saturday and during UN presentations in Copenhagen in coming weeks. Local organizers at the green-products store
Twin Cities Green in Uptown are joining up with artist Peter L. Johnson to create a sign/sculpture visitors can pose with to become part of the 350 TREE. According to the organizers, visitors to the store can, "Smile out of planet Earth and send your photograph to add to the imagery of all the other world citizens calling us to wake up to the need for real action around climate change."
To learn more about International Day of Climate Change and to participate in a local event, check out this
action map.