The quest for climate control

MILLERTON — Does the number 350 signify anything special to most people? Dianne Engleke, along with millions of others, is hoping it does, or at least will,  after reading this article.

“At the moment there are 390 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The best scientific evidence is that 350 ppm is the safe maximum,†Engleke explained. “Beyond 350, change may well be irreversible, so we need to bring the number down from 390.â€

That’s why 350.org, a world wide movement to rally the cause, organized Saturday, Oct. 24, as the day to educate people around the globe about that ever important figure — 350. The day was tagged as the International Day of Climate Control.

“An outstanding number of people from places all over the world are taking part in it,†Engleke said. “It includes the Alps and Himalayas, and Kilimanjaro, where mountain climbers will go to show there’s not snow where there should be, because there’s an unprecedented melting of ice and snow in human history.â€

In fact, on Saturday, 5,200 actions were devoted to the International Day of Climate Control in 181 countries. Engleke was one of the Harlem Valley’s organizers for local action. She spent the day at McEnroe’s Organic Farm in Millerton to educate people about 350 and its impact on the environment and the world’s population.

“I personally like to think of this as the beginning, and not the culmination,†she said. “It’s the beginning of people taking part if the effort to have a strong agreement comes out of Copenhagen in December — a meaningful agreement of how the world will deal with climate changes so we don’t just take our signs and go home.â€

December is when the Kyoto Treaty expires. World leaders will gather in Copenhagen at that time to write up a new agreement on climate change. The United States is expected to be at the table and to take an active part in the discussions; it has not done so for some time.

“The oil and gas companies are already there, and their lobbyists are there and citizens of the world will need to be present as well, by actions such as this, by lobbying their legislators, and letting them know we know what 350 is and that we need to go back there,†Engleke said. “We are a generation right now whose actions will determine how all generations live and determine the quality of their lives.â€

While living in the Northeast may not impress the severity of climate change on its residents right now, there will come a time when everyone will feel its effects. Those could include the rising of ocean water and the melting of ice from glaciers and mountain tops. One-third of the world’s population relies on ice for its water and when that disappears one-third of the world will not have water for drinking as well as for agricultural use — at some point that will affect the United States. By 2050, according to a 2004 article in Nature Magazine, one-third of terrestrial species, plants and animals will be on the road to extinction, although that projection has moved up since arctic ice is disappearing more quickly than originally expected.

Engleke said that both personal action and legislative action are important.

“There are people who think that personal action doesn’t count, but it does,†she said. “We need to have clean energy and use less of it. Scientifically it is possible to get back to 350. We would probably not regain what is lost, but we would not lose all of the melting ice. But whether it’s politically possible is another question. It means a very fast transition to sun and wind and other renewable forms of energy. I don’t know that this is possible; I would like to think it is. It’s our best bet.â€

Some tips to reduce our carbon footprint include unplugging “vampire†electronics that stay on (they sometimes leave red blinking lights on). Those items drain a tremendous amount of energy, like toasters, coffee pots, night lights, etc. The whole concept is about conservation, according to Engleke, who said if pushed, companies would then start making more efficient products.

“I think questioning the things you have on in your house during the daytime, like the TV that no one is listening to, can make a difference. Just be conscious of your use,†she said, adding that the little things can add up and ultimately contribute to serious repercussions. “I guess the scary thing is that we don’t really know how bad it can be. Are we going to have 30 years of drought in the West? Are there going to be longer fire seasons? Is the melting ice going to leave one-third of the world’s population without fresh water? I guess the scariest thing is the unexpected.â€

To learn more about climate change and how to take action, go to 350.org.