Archive for the ‘Events’ Category
Global Day of Climate Action Sends a Powerful Message
October 24th was the global day of climate action organized by 350.org. Hundreds of thousands of people attended thousands of events. All around the world, people stood up to deliver a message to government leaders: “Our climate is no longer safe!” The photos came from everywhere. Starting on the evening of the 23rd, with a photo of New Zealanders at sunrise, the 350.org staff was literally flooded with 16,000 images — each of which contained the magic number: 350.
The number 350 refers to the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere that scientists say is safe. It’s measured in parts per million, or PPM. Today, at 390 PPM, that number is already past safe limits. This is why we urgently need strong action from our leaders when they meet in Copenhagen on December 6th to negotiate the successor to the Kyoto treaty.
In Boston, hundreds gathered at Columbus Park, on the waterfront, to participate in the Boston Under Water Festival. Why “Under Water?” Because Boston will experience Katrina-like flooding during severe storms as a result of climate change. We displayed maps from the Union of Concerned Scientists that show the Back Bay, East Boston, and a large swath of Downtown Boston under water after severe storms in the higher emissions scenarios.
But the Climate Festival was not all doom and gloom. Activities included relay races, kids games, climate theater, music, flood photos, people dressed as billionaires launching a fake “counter protest,” and a lifesaving station where we filled Senator Kerry’s answering machine with calls asking him to take strong action against climate change.
The centerpiece of the event was building a “flood barrier” before Boston Harbor using sandbags and empty tomato sauce cans. After the flood barrier was built, the crowd assembled for a photo to be sent to 350.org. Many people were wearing life vests and holding paddles as they stood in front of a huge banner that read: “Boston’s SOS 350 Climate Treaty Now.”
With a few clicks of the Greenpeace photographer’s shutter, we took our place in history with the thousands of others who are trying to protect our planet. As they say on one of my favorite podcasts, Beyond Zero Radio: “We aren’t trying to cause trouble. We’re trying to prevent trouble.. for us and for generations to come.”
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If you like this then please subscribe to the Boston Under Water Climate Festival
I am one of the organizers of this event, which will be the biggest of all the Boston-area events planned for the October 24th Global Day of Climate Action. Your support and help in getting the word out, and coming to the event, would be much appreciated. Together, we can make our leaders understand that immediate action is needed to greenhouse gas emissions to safe levels.
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Boston Under Water Climate Festival
October 24, 2009, 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Christopher Columbus Park, Long Wharf, Boston
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Join us at the Boston Under Water Climate Festival and help make the the International Day of Climate Action a historic day. On October 24th people all over the globe will come together to demand that world leaders meeting in December in Copenhagen create a plan to to decrease concentrations of atmospheric CO2 to below 350PPM.
We will gather on the waterfront at Christopher Columbus Park (Aquarium T stop) to draw attention to the Katrina-like floods that Boston may face as a result of climate change.
Fun Activities
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“ Building a sandbag flood barrier
“ A massive group photo in front of the sandbag wall with a banner calling on world leaders to get us back to 350 and to pass a fair, ambitious and binding climate treaty this year
“ Flooding Station: learn about what sea level rise and higher storm surges will mean for Boston
“ Fred Small sings “Three Five 0″
“ Canoe relay racing!!
“ Participatory Climate Theater!!
“ Plus blue face-painting, bike-flag making, and much, much more!
Dress in blue. Wear underwater gear, leave as a group from your community, and bring as many people as you can!
Do not miss this opportunity; joining fellow human beings to be there, be counted, and to stand up for the future of the planet.
Part of a global day of events sponsored by 350.org
web: http://www.bostonunderwater.org
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Inner City 100 Awards
Last night I accepted an award from the Institute for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC). The Inner City 100 award recognizes the fastest growing businesses in urban America. This is the second year we have won this award–moving up to 27th on the list, compared to last year when we ranked 83rd.
I am deeply grateful to Harvard Business School professor Dr. Michael E. Porter for creating the ICIC as a vehicle for inner city business development. In May 1995, Professor Porter published the ‘The Competitive Advantage of the Inner City’ in Harvard Business Review. This was the first time that anyone had suggested that inner city businesses could have a competitive advantage over businesses located in more affluent areas.
Although I had never read the article (or practically any other business publication except for Jay Conrad Levinson’s Earning Money Without a Job), I was destined to be one of many entrepreneurs who proved that Professor Porter’s ideas on inner city competitiveness were real world. A few months after the article appeared, I visited every subway stop on the MBTA Red Line, looking for a spot to locate my new used computer store. I went from Harvard Square, where I had seen a retail space with no parking for $2,500/month, to Andrew Square, where a larger space could be had for $800 for the first year, building up to $1,600 in year three. It was directly across from the subway station. And it had tons of parking! Read the rest of this entry »
Ghandi, Business Values, and Green IT
I attended (and spoke at) the Eleventh Annual Symposium on Spirituality and Business yesterday. I am not a religious person. But it was a great opportunity to step back and reflect. The highlight of the day was listening to Kevin Lynch, Executive Director of Rebuild Resources. He reminds himself daily of all of the advantages that he was born with that he has not earned. That he has suffered from drug and alcohol addiction, like those he serves. The people Kevin works with are not clients, but fellow human beings.
This is the concept of the servant leader that I spoke of earlier in the day. My speech was called: Satyagraha for the Business Leader:
Down at L Street with the Brownies
Does anyone know where you can get a New Year’s Day high that beats watching the L Street Brownies take their annual ocean dip? I suppose you could argue that the elation of actually participating in this frigid fracas might surpass the vicarious thrill of the spectator. Alas, chilblain sufferer that I am, it is not my fate to join the mad force of fired-up bathers who quickly dived into the ocean and who just as quickly jumped out.
The cheering, the bravado, and the hoopla as the Brownies willfully expose themselves to the elements are tremendously uplifting. Even more inspiring was the crippled young man who hitched a ride on his friend’s back for the plunge into the briny shallows. The man stood in the water for a few seconds buoyed by the cold water. Then it was back to the beach again, on the back of his friend.
Talk about a feel good moment.