10/10/10 Media Info

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Photos

Please see our Photos Page for more information on accessing hi-res photos. For blogs, here are a number of photos that you can link to directly, with a special 'best for blogs' flickr set available here. All are Creative-Commons licensed and available for use free of charge: 

Wellington, New Zealand: 

Howick, South Africa

Beijing, China: 

Istanbul, Turkey: 

Kerala, India: 

Dhaka, Bangladesh: 

Kabul, Afghanistan: 

West Virginia, USA: 

Antipolo City, Philippines: 

Cape Town, South Africa: 

Johannesburg, South Africa: 

Cochabamba, Bolivia: 

Bauchi State, Nigeria: 

Vilandi, India: 

Noakhali, Bangladesh: 

Queretaro, Mexico: 

Masshad, Iran: 

Babylon, Iraq: 

Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA: 

Singapore, Singapore: 

Kiula, Sri Lanka: 

Sydney, Australia: 

Kuwait Towers, Kuwait: 

Hamadan, Iran: 

Namib Desert, Namibia: 

Port Elizabeth, South Africa: 

Windhoek, Namibia: 

Dumagute, Philippines: 

Palasari, Bali, Indonesia: 

Sharjah, UAE: 

Salaya Nakornpathom, Thailand: 

Clinton Township, Michigan, USA: 

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: 

Panauti, Nepal: 

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Rabatt, Morocco: 

Hamadan, Iran: 

Lekki, Nigeria: 

Maracaibo, Venezuela: 

Rawalpindi, Pakistan: 

Bangalore, India: 

Jos Plataeu, Nigeria: 

Winestead Hall, UK: 

Boracay Island, Philippines: 

Bumthang, Bhutan: 

Isafjordur, Iceland: 

Bhagalpur, India: 

Shangri-la, China: 

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Jhalawar, Rajasthan, India: 

Beijing, China: 

Maputo, Mozambique: 

Changzhou, China: 

Davenport, USA:

Berlin, Germany: 

Hargeisa, Somaliland, Somalia: 

Geneva, Switzerland: 

Ramallah, Palestine: 

Rosh Ha'ayin, Israel: 

 

Amman, Jordan: 

Boston, MA, USA: 

Yerevan, Armenia: 

Baku, Azerbaijan: 

Washington, DC: 

Yangon, Myanmar: 

Bangkok, Thailand: 

Majuro, Marshall Islands: 

Nairobi, Kenya: 

Miami, Florida: 

Karaganda, Kazakhstan: 

Munich, Germany: 

Koror, Palau: 

Bopol, India: 

Burlington, VT: 

San Francisco, USA: 

Oakland, USA: 

Villa do Tarrafal, Cape Verde: 

Constanza, Dominican Republic: 

Minneapolis, USA: 

Thungsong, Thailand: 

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: 

Rome, Italy: 

Kotagiri, India: 

 

Videos

10/10/10 Compilation Video: We Got to Work

 

10/10/10 Global Work Party: Early Highlights

 

Ellen Page for 350.org and the 10/10/10 Global Work Party

10/10/10 Work Party at Alemany Farm in San Francisco

350.org Introductory Animation

350.org Co-founder Phil Aroneanu on Al Jazeera

President Nasheed Solar Installation

10/10/10 Climate Party in Beijing, China 

10/10/10 By the Numbers

Here are some of the useful statistics to know about the 10/10/10 Global Work Party:

• 7,000+ events in 188 countries
• 2,000+ events in the United States
• 200 events in India
• 300 events in China
• 200 events in California pushing back on Prop 23
• 10 in Burma, 10 in Iran
• 100,000+ trees planted on 10/10/10
• 100+ solar panels installed on 10/10/10
• 100+ miles of coastline cleaned up on 10/10/10

Quotes

Check out quotes below from:

• Kumi Naidoo, Greenpeace International Executive Director
• Christiana Figueres, UN Climate Cheif
• Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, CEO of Green For All
• Danny Kennedy, founder of Sungevity
• Roger Toussaint, President of Transport Workers Union, Local 100 of New York City
• Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary
• Ellen Page, Actress (Juno & Inception)
• Ben Lowe, Democratic Nominee for Congress, IL06
• Alexi Giannoulias, Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Illinois
• Kendrick Meek, Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Florida
• Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr., U.S. Senator (PA)
• Senator Maria Cantwell, U.S. Senator (D-WA)
• Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, Senator (D-MD)
• Senator Bernard Sanders, U.S. Senator (D-VT)
• Jeremy Hobbs, Oxfam executive director

Kumi Naidoo, Greenpeace International Executive Director, said: "The Global Work Party is a challenge to our politicians for real climate action, not just talk. Citizens in almost every country are pulling up their sleeves to make the energy revolution a reality. The demand to our political leaders couldn’t be clearer: 'We are acting on climate, it's time for politicians to do the same'.”

UN climate chief Christiana Figueres said, "I congratulate you on your work and I want to offer my personal support to the Global Work Party. I urge you to continue your inspiring work. When citizens are inspired to take action, it is easier for governments to initiate real climate change action. That is exactly what governments need to rally around urgently. They need to be determined to arrive at compromises that move the world towards winning the battle against climate change."

“The newest incarnation of environmentalism is not just looking at how we can prevent climate change. It is looking at how the Earth, and caring for the planet, can protect and preserve us by building the clean energy economy,"  Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, CEO of Green For All.

“This election is all about job creation and the clean energy sector is growing ten times faster then the rest of the economy,” said Danny Kennedy, founder of Sungevity, a California based solar company. “Our company has directly created 100 jobs right here in Oakland. On 10/10/10, we’re asking politicians to create millions more jobs by supporting strong climate and energy legislation.”

“Transportation is only one of the sectors of the economy that has enormous potential to be a wellspring of the climate-friendly jobs with dignity,” said Roger Toussaint, President of Transport Workers Union, Local 100 of New York City. “On 10/10/10, we’re advocating for the policies that will help put our country back to work and create the green economy that will sustain global life.”

“It’s time for us to roll up our sleeves and get to work on building the clean energy future that will generate economic opportunity and provide a better, safer, healthier world for our children,” said United Nations Secretary Ban Ki-moon. “On October 10, I encourage everyone to do his or her part to be part of the solution to the climate challenge.”

“I’m tired of sitting around and watching politicians argue,” said Actress Ellen Page, who sent a video endorsing the day and is riding her bike in an event in Los Angeles. “It’s time for them to stop talking and start doing.”

“We desperately need good jobs in Illinois, and the clean energy economy is our best option for putting people back to work while tackling the urgent climate crisis.  But we will never muster the political will to pass robust clean energy legislation without the grassroots leadership of groups like 350.org.  So, on 10/10/10, my campaign for Congress is spearheading a Global Work Party event in the Illinois 6th Congressional District. We are standing alongside the efforts of 350.org because clean energy is not solely a Democratic or Republican priority; it is a moral priority, an American priority, and one that I am proud to champion for our district." - Ben Lowe, Democratic Nominee for Congress, IL06

“I applaud 350.org’s 10/10/10 Global Work Party and its focus on building a clean energy future to lift us out of recession, address the threat of climate change, and end our dependence on foreign oil. I believe that we need to invest now in the clean energy jobs of tomorrow – good-paying positions that can’t be outsourced and that modernize our energy policy in addition to creating jobs. I believe that the road to America's energy independence runs right through the prairies of Illinois, not the Gulf of Mexico. In Illinois alone, we have more than 2,500 companies that have created more than 28,000 clean energy jobs, like building wind turbines, weatherizing homes, building a more efficient electricity grid that reaches every corner
of Illinois, and producing energy from waste. As a Senator, I’ll fight to build on this foundation with the right kind of government incentives so that we can grow clean energy businesses and put America
back to work.” -Alexi Giannoulias, Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Illinois

"I applaud the work of the 'Global Work Party' on 10/10/10 to combat the threat of climate change and move our world to a clean energy future. We must all do our part to fight global warming, and taking practical steps together to reduce carbon emissions is a must for our environmental and economic future. As the only candidate in this U.S. Senate race who supports comprehensive clean energy reform, including a cap-and-trade system, I commend your work today, and look forward to bringing these views to the U.S. Senate on behalf of the Sunshine State.” -Kendrick Meek, Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Florida

“Grassroots efforts to develop and deploy clean energy and other solutions to climate change, which can reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, will certainly help to reverse the impacts we are seeing today from a warming climate. I have long supported the need for comprehensive climate legislation and I remain optimistic that the Senate will move on a climate bill in 2011. It is critically important that such legislation put forward a timetable for reducing human-made emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases while promoting clean energy jobs and energy security for the Nation.” - Robert P. Casey, Jr., U.S. Senator (PA)

“Congratulations and thank you for participating in what we hope is the largest assemblage of carbon pollution cutting events our planet has ever seen,” said U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA).  “We need your voices now more than ever to overcome the special-interest polluters and science-denying politicians who are blocking our urgently needed transition to a clean energy future.  Our dangerous overdependence on fossil fuels threatens the ecosystems we depend on and hinders efforts to build new growth industries that can support millions of high-wage, ‘green-collar’ jobs while providing more affordable energy choices.  I believe setting a simple, fair, and transparent price on carbon is the key to tackling global warming and realizing the promise of a clean energy future.  That’s why I so appreciate Bill McKibben’s support of the bipartisan CLEAR Act climate legislation that I proposed with my colleague from Maine, Senator Susan Collins.”

“Today thousands of events are taking place as people participate in a Global Work Party, the largest day of carbon-cutting action in the planet’s history. Here in Maryland, people are getting to work on building a new, clean energy future for America. The most important step we can take to address global warming is to reduce the level of carbon dioxide we emit. To do this, we must put a price on carbon, increase investment in new technology, and set aside funds to help mitigate the inevitable impacts of climate change. Addressing climate change in a meaningful way will be a challenge, but is also an opportunity. I believe it is critical to Marylanders and all Americans that we pass legislation that moves our nation towards a greener economy and begins to reverse global warming. In the meantime, I send my sincere congratuations to all of you who are working today to build a new energy future for America.” -Senator Benjamin L. Cardin, Senator (D-MD)

Opening paragraph from a 1 page letter of endorsement/support: “I would like to take this opportunity to command you for the efforts you are undertaking throughout Burlington to raise awareness about the need for action on global warming among your friends, neighbors, and community members. Thanks to the efforts of Bill McKibben and 350.org, we are seeing a true grassroots movement taking shape in Vermont, in the United States, and in fact in countries all across our planet. Everyone is coming together to recognize global warming is real, it is serious, and we need to do something about it.” -Bernard Sanders, U.S. Senator (D-VT)

Oxfam executive director Jeremy Hobbs said: "Climate change is wiping out crops today and making it difficult for the poorest people, especially women, to feed their families. October 10 kicks off a week of action to highlight the efforts of ordinary people around the world to adapt to changing weather. But they can't do it alone. We need our leaders to do more to achieve a political solution to tackle climate change. They can rejuvenate the climate talks in Cancun later this year and save lives by establishing a new climate fund and delivering on their $100 billion-a-year promise by 2020 to cut emissions and help vulnerable people to protect themselves."

 

Press Release

October 11, 2010

CONTACT: Jamie Henn, 1.415.601.9337, jamie@350.org

"Work Parties" Issue a Political Challenge: Get to Work on Climate Solutions

World's Biggest Day of Climate Action Unites 7,000 rallies in 188 Countries

Washington, DC – Just weeks before elections in the United States and climate talks at the United Nations, citizens from Afghanistan to West Virginia joined 350.org's "10/10/10 Global Work Party" to issue a unified demand that politicians stop dragging their feet and get to work on climate solutions.

Leading by example, citizens in 188 countries joined more than 7,000 climate "work parties" over the weekend to get to work installing solar panels, weatherizing homes, planting trees, and then calling politicians to ask a simple question, "We're getting to work, what about you?"

"The fossil fuel industry may have thought that the collapse of the Copenhagen talks and its victory in the U.S. Congress were the final word—that people would give up in discouragement," said acclaimed environmental writer and 350.org founder Bill McKibben.  "The turnout today—at what is almost certainly the most widespread day of political action in the planet’s history—demonstrates that people are fed up with the inaction of their leaders and ready to take matters into their own hands. Game on."

In the days surrounding the work party, U.S. President Barack Obama, Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn all committed to install solar on their official residences. Mexico City and Parisian Mayors committed to cut their city's emissions 10% over the next year. Dozens of politicians, from US Senators to the President of the Timor-Leste Parliament joined rallies.

10/10/10 Global Work Party highlights include:

• In Instanbul, Turkey, 7,000 marched for climate action
• In China, 30,000 students joined over 300 events across the country
• In Bangladesh, citizens demonstrated knee deep in the flood waters that are affecting hundreds of thousands of people
• In Hamadan, Iran, hundreds of students attended an environmental symposium
• In Afghanistan, groups of students planted trees in a valley outside Kabul
• In South Africa, a local business installed solar panels on the roof of an orphanage
• In the United States, there were over 2,000 rallies with events in all 50 states, including 400 clean energy rallies in California

A diverse array of political voices including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, UN climate chief Christiana Figueres, White House official Jon Carson, and President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed endorsed the 10/10/10 Global Work Party as a sign of important momentum for climate action.

“It’s time for us to roll up our sleeves and get to work on building the clean energy future that will generate economic opportunity and provide a better, safer, healthier world for our children,” said United Nations Secretary Ban Ki-moon. “On October 10, I encourage everyone to do his or her part to be part of the solution to the climate challenge.”

Speaking from the climate meetings in Tianjin, China, UN Climate Chief Christina Figueres said: "I congratulate you on your work and I want to offer my personal support to the Global Work Party. When citizens are inspired to take action, it is easier for governments to initiate real climate change action.”

Jon Carson, the chief of staff for President Obama's Council on Environmental Quality, told hundreds of 350.org organizers in a conference call Saturday night in Washington that, “The number one lesson we learned in the Obama campaign is that people respond to an effort that is getting something done. Tangible change in people’s back yards is what brings more people to the fold. That’s what you guys are doing tomorrow and that’s what it’s going to take to grow this movement.”

President Nasheed, who joined the work parties by helping install solar panels on his roof in the Maldives, told 350.org supporters around the world, "As President of one of the world's most climate vulnerable countries, I want to thank you for your tireless work and offer my wholehearted support for the Global Work Party on 10/10/10. For the Maldives, 350 is more than just a number: it is a passport to survival for our entire nation."

Photos form the weekend's events are stunning in their diversity and juxtaposition: cub scouts in West Virginia and young men in Afghanistan; biology students in Iran and cyclists in Israel; flood victims in Bangladesh and high school girls in Beverly Hills; the Governor of Illinois and orphans in Indonesia.

The Global Work Party came together online through websites, social networks, and a largely volunteer team around the world. “We’ve still got people hunched over laptops around the world today sending out emails, Skyping organizers, and trying to make sure the website doesn’t crash,” said Jamie Henn, 350.org co-founder.

McKibben said that the global nature of the work parties made them particularly heartening: "The size and spread of today’s events surprised even those of us organizing them. They demonstrate a continuing—a growing—hunger for real action on the most desperate problem the planet faces. This has been the warmest year on record, scientists tell us. Now we’re starting to turn up the political temperature too."

More information and hi-res photos and video can be found at:

http://www.350.org/media

About 350.org:

Bill McKibben founded 350.org with a group of six recent university graduates in 2008. The campaign takes its name from the goal of reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from its current level of 390 parts per million to below 350 ppm, the safe upper limit according to leading scientists. 350.org has quickly expanded to include hundreds of thousands of members and over 30 staff in 20 countries. 10/10/10 is being coordinated over email, Skype, and social networks with nearly all 7,000+ events organized by volunteers.

10/10/10 has been organized in cooperation with hundreds of organizations, from the Nepalese Youth Climate Network to tcktcktck, a global alliance of over 250 organizations.

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Press Release
October 7, 2010

CONTACT: Jamie Henn, 350.org, 1.415.830.6102, jamie@350.org
CONTACT: President Nasheed's Office, Maldives, Phone: (+960) 332-3701

President Nasheed Launches "Global Work Party" by Installing Solar Panels
on His Presidential Home in the Maldives

Over 7,000 events in 188 countries planned for this Sunday, October 10

Hi-Res Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/350org/sets/72157624989883351/
Hi-Res Video: http://vimeo.com/15632345
For download, login: media@350.org, password: 350press

Male, Maldives – President Nasheed was on his roof in the Maldives this morning to put the finishing touches on the installation of a new set of solar panels donated by the American company, Sungevity.

“The Maldives stands at the front line of climate change and we don't have the luxury of time to sit and wait for the rest of the world to act. We are getting to work to start the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy,” said the President.

“President Nasheed is making a wise, affordable investment for his country,” said Danny Kennedy of Sungevity. “We are proud he chose Sungevity to coordinate the design of a system from halfway around the world. Saving energy and going solar are the keys to unlocking economic growth and energy security. This shows that anyone, be they world leaders, like Presidents Nasheed and Obama, or American homeowners, can easily go solar and save money. It’s that simple.”

President Nasheed, a former carpenter, screwed in the remaining bolts to help launch this weekend's Global Work Party, what will be the most widespread day of environmental action in the planet's history. At 7,000 climate events in 188 countries citizens will be getting to work on climate solutions and telling their politicians to do the same.

The President offered the following endorsement for the Global Work Party:

As President of one of the world's most climate vulnerable countries, I want to thank you for your tireless work and offer my wholehearted support for the Global Work Party on 10/10/10. I shall be working hard in support of 10/10/10, up on my roof installing solar panels donated by Sungevity. But my event is just one of dozens of activities planed in the Maldives and thousands worldwide in support of this campaign. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to continue working to ensure that the planet meets the sustainable goal of returning CO2 concentrations to 350ppm. For the Maldives, 350 is more than just a number: it is a passport to survival for our entire nation.

350.org estimates that nearly 100 solar panels will be installed around the world as part of the Global Work Party, including:

• In the Namib Desert, Namibia, a rural education center is installing six panels to try and go carbon neutral
• In Alexandra Towship, South Africa, citizens will install solar-hot water on a home for the mentally disabled
• In Babylon, Iraq students are working to put solar panels up at the University of Babylon
• In Las Cruces, New Mexico a group of community members are putting up panels on a local homeless shelter

The Nasheed installation comes just one day after President Obama announced that he will be re-installing solar panels on the roof of the White House. President Carter installed a set of panels in 1979 only to have them removed by President Reagan a few years later. There is no word yet whether President Obama will actually take part in the installation like President Nasheed.

“The White House did the right thing, and for the right reasons: they listened to the Americans who asked for solar on their roof, and they listened to the scientists and engineers who told them this is the path to the future,” said Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org. “If it has anything like the effect of the White House garden, it could be a trigger for a wave of solar installations across the country and around the world."

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October 5, 2010

Bill McKibben Congratulates President Obama for Taking the White House Solar Leading up to Sunday’s Global Work Party around the World

Washington, DC -- Just in time to give the Global Work Party a White House-sized boost, the Obama administration announced this morning that they are going to put solar panels on the First Family's living quarters, returning to a tradition begun by president Jimmy Carter and abandoned by Ronald Reagan.

350.org founder Bill McKibben urged President Obama to install his new set of solar panels back on September 10 as part of 350.org’s 10/10/10 Global Work Party, a day when millions of people across the planet will be getting to work on climate solutions.

“The White House did the right thing, and for the right reasons: they listened to the Americans who asked for solar on their roof, and they listened to the scientists and engineers who told them this is the path to the future,” said McKibben. “If it has anything like the effect of the White House garden, it could be a trigger for a wave of solar installations across the country and around the world. Obama's not the only world leader taking the challenge. Tomorrow Maldivian president Mohammed Nasheed will install panels on his official residence, and on Sunday 7000 communities around the world will engage in similar projects.”

When he dedicated the original set of panels in 1979, President Carter stated:

“In the year 2000 this solar water heater behind me will still be here supplying cheap, efficient energy. A generation from now this solar heater can either be a curiosity, a museum piece, an example of a road not taken, or it can be just a small part of one the greatest and most exciting adventures ever undertaken by the American people.”

In 1986, President Reagan removed the panels and let subsidies for renewable energy expire. A number of the panels were donated to Unity College in the 1990s.

Over 40,000 people signed a letter urging President Obama to install a new set of panels at the campaign’s PutSolarOn.It website. The site provided live updates from the road and a chance for the public to interact with the road trip participants.

The website is here: http://PutSolarOn.It/roadtrip

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About 350.org

Founded by American environmentalist Bill McKibben, 350.org is an international campaign that works to build a global climate movement. On October 24, 2009 they organized what CNN called the “most widespread day of political action in the planet’s history.” 350.org is named after the goal of reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere from its current level of 390 parts per million to below 350 ppm, the safe upper limit according to the latest science.