Duluthians Rally to Reduce Carbon Emissions

By KBJR News 1

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August 6, 2010

Saturday marked an international day of climate action to stop global warming.

Duluthians rallied for the cause with a bike ride and walk to spread the message of reducing carbon emissions.

Nearly 1,700 group actions took place in more than 140 countries around the world.

The focus of the gatherings is to lower the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from 389 parts per million to 350 parts per million.

Organizer Joel Kilgour says "A top team of scientists in the U.S. issued ground breaking reports; they found that any level of carbon dioxide in atmosphere over 350 parts per million will make the earth uninhabitable for humans in the future."

Participants from the Stop Global Warming "350" rally say their love of the environment brought them out to try to persuade others to lower their carbon footprints.

Josie Johnson, student organizer for St. Scholastica, personalizes the issue, "The environment's always been important to me, I want to make sure it's here for my children. I've had a great time living on this planet I want the same for my kids. We need to change our ways so in 30 years it's as good as it is now."

Organizers also hope the message will spread as far as the nation's capitol before the climate summit in Copenhagen this December.

"We're hoping our message and our photographs get to them and they see how urgently we take this. 89 countries are already on the plan for the treaty to lower to 350. The United States has not," emphasizes Kilgour.

Those at the rally recognize it may be a challenge to end global warming, but believe it can be done.

"It's going to be a big transition," says Kilgour, "It's going to take more than light bulbs or biking to work. It's going to take effort to reduce energy, work for solar power, wind power. It'll be a big transition, but it will also bring jobs if it's done right so it will hurt a little but in the end if it saves the world it's worth it."

The group in Duluth even had their photo flashed across a screen in Times Square on Saturday.