P is for protecting the environment

I received a bulk email from Bill McKibben last week. McKibben is author, educator, environmentalist, and Co-founder of the non-profit organization 350.org, whose goal is to build “the global grassroots climate movement that can hold our leaders accountable to science and justice.”

The numerical reference is this: the organization encouraging citizens to publicize the increasing levels of carbon dioxide in order to pressure world leaders to address climate change and to reduce CO2 levels from 400 parts per million to 350 parts per million.

McKibben writes: “The world cannot afford to continue to rely on fossil fuels. Scientists now tell us that at current rates, within a decade we’ll likely have put enough carbon in the atmosphere to warm the earth past the Paris climate targets. We are running out of time.

“However, we also now know what we can do, and we’re increasingly certain it can be done: We have to switch off coal, oil, and gas, and switch on 100% water, wind, and sun.

“Cities and states around America are already moving towards this goal. Countries around the world are outpacing us: transport in the Netherlands is run increasingly on wind power, Santiago’s train system will run entirely on solar power soon, China can power provinces the size of Texas for a week straight.

“The technology to implement 100% renewables already exists and we have public opinion on our side. A majority of Americans favor government action to increase the development of renewable energy.

“Corporate interests and politics stand in our way. I know we can overcome them. We must.