Finding the li

It seems unstoppable: the world’s getting warmer, bringing climate change catastrophe ever closer.  Carbon levels in the atmosphere keep increasing, and our politicians don’t do a thing about it.  The coalition of big business and embedded political interests wants to keep most people ignorant about the disaster our global society is bringing on itself.

But there’s something we can do about it.  Each of us, as individuals, can join in a global movement which has the power to bring about real, fundamental worldwide political change in a matter of years.  In our lifetimes, we can play a part in turning round the global warming juggernaut.

How?  Through Energy Strikes.  What’s an Energy Strike?  It’s a day of worldwide action, when each of us uses only the amount of energy that would lead to an eventual stabilization of atmospheric carbon dioxide to the sustainable level of 350 parts per million.

Energy Strikes aren’t happening yet.  But the first one could take place in 2012 if you and I set our minds to it now.  How is that?  Because three of the foremost direct action environmental groups in the world are putting their minds together to come up with a coordinated long-term strategy to stop our civilization careening towards climate change disaster.  They’re going to be making decisions this fall about which strategy to pursue.  They’re open to new ideas, and seeking our input.

[Click here for a pdf document explaining Energy Strikes in more detail.]

Gandhi's 1930 salt march catalyzed the successful struggle for India's independence from the British Empire. Energy Strikes can do the same for the global struggle against climate change.

If you think the idea of annual global Energy Strikes could start to make an impact in raising global awareness about climate change and putting pressure on politicians, then please spend 2 minutes to do the following:

1.) Click on this link to send an email directly to the the leaders of the three powerful direct action groups:

2.)  Copy and paste the following text in the message (and make any changes you feel like):

ENERGY STRIKES: GLOBAL ACTION TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Bill, Phil and Rebecca,

I support the idea of building a worldwide movement of annual Energy Strikes, when each of us uses only the amount of energy that would lead to an eventual stabilization of atmospheric carbon dioxide to the sustainable level of 350 parts per million.

An “Energy Strike” would be a worldwide day (or days) when all participants used only the amount of energy, on a per capita basis, that would lead to an eventual stabilization of atmospheric CO2 to 350 ppm.  An energy strike would be an annual event. It could be held any time during the year, but the proposed date would be a “Sustainable Energy Day”: the day in the calendar year when the world has emitted the maximum amount of CO2 consistent with an eventual long-term level of 350 ppm in the atmosphere.

During an Energy Strike, those participants who are taking time off their daily work might congregate and picket at the centers of high CO2 production: e.g. airports, coal-fired power plants, luxury auto dealerships.  The first Energy Strike would be a one-day event. Then, it would be rolled out over a number of years with gradually increasing time spans.

The vision of an Energy Strike arises from the Gandhian principle of non-violent non-cooperation, using powerful symbolic events to catalyze mass participation and raise global awareness.  The novelty and symbolic resonance of a global Energy Strike would have significant media impact. Visually, the sight of picketing strikers at airports or coal-fired power plants around the world could be compelling.  Over the years, Energy Strikes could have a major impact on raising global awareness about climate change and turning around the climate change juggernaut.

Please consider this strategy for a coordinated worldwide response to global climate change that could really make a difference.

3.) Now share this blog post with at least two other friends or associates, and ask them to do the same.  Within a short while, Bill, Phil and Rebecca will see that this is an idea that resonates.  And you’ll have played your part in the first step towards regaining our future for a sustainable human presence on the earth.

If you want to read more about the Energy Strikes idea, click on this pdf document.  Congratulations: you’ve just made a difference!