Last week, we asked 350.org supporters around the world to submit quotes about their local green economy. We received hundreds of quotes from around the world — inspiring examples of clean energy opportunities in every corner of the planet. Here are a few of our favorites:
“Our state has attracted a huge investment from a Spanish solar company that will create over 100 stable jobs, and up to 10,000 construction jobs.”
– William Greene, Kingman, AZ
“In France, there are tax breaks on income tax for installing solar power or solar-assisted water heating, and most regional and local governments are also providing extra subsidies. The number of green energy companies is growing visibly. My village is on the edge of France in a remote area, and yet my nearest green energy store is less than 15km away.”
– Paul Bristow, Ferney-Voltaire, France
“As a part of our new movement GreenDream, in Kerala, India, we are promoting the installation of BioGas Plants and Composting in college Hostels, carrying out energy mapping, and promoting a plastic free campus.”
– Arun Raj Trivandrum, India
On Monday, we took those messages to the doorstep of the world’s leaders at the Major Economies Forum in Washington, DC. Outside the US State 
Department, where ministers from the 17 largest emitters were meeting, a representative of President Obama’s climate team responded to our calls by receiving a packet of your quotes, and bringing them to the negotiators inside. It’s encouraging to know that our leaders are beginning to listen!
For our leaders to really hear us and solve two crises at once, we’re going to need to be even louder. If you haven’t already, take a minute and sign up to host an event in your community on October 24, the International Day of Climate Action.
The actions we’re all taking to build the green economy in our own communities should set the example for our leaders. We need to make sure they take the dual challenges of a broken global economy and the climate crisis and turn them into an opportunity, creating a bold, creative and ambitious agreement that will jump-start the clean energy economy for everybody around the world.
Thank you for sending a message to the leaders,
Phil Aroneanu and the 350.org Team