The Future of Nature Featuring Renowned Environmentalist and Author, Bill McKibben
On April 25, 2012, the North Shore Land Alliance hosted an event in Manhattan featuring renowned environmentalist and author, Bill McKibben. Mr. McKibben has written several books on the environment including Earth, Making a Life on a Tough New Planet and The End of Nature. He has been called by Time magazine “the planet’s best green journalist.”
Bill McKibben founded 350.org, an organization to draw immediate attention to the threat of climate change as the by-product of the industrial revolution and fossil fuel consumption. The name, 350.org, refers to the goal of restoring the earth to carbon emissions of no more than 350 parts per million (ppm). With a group of university friends, they ran a campaign in 2007 called Step It Up that organized over 2,000 rallies at iconic places in all 50 of the United States. These creative actions – from skiers descending a melting glacier to divers hosting an underwater event – helped convince many political leaders to adopt a common call to action: cutting carbon emissions 80% by 2050.
Mr. McKibben spoke to an audience of over 100 people about the current measured level of carbon which is 393 ppm. If sustained this level will raise global temperatures and contribute to rising sea level, devastating droughts, the inability for large and traditionally productive countries like Russia to grow enough food to feed itself and possibly even more seismic activity. For the past 10,000 years of human activity, the period of time called the Holocene, the atmosphere had remained stable at 275 ppm.
With the current rate of energy consumption, the carbon dioxide emitted into our atmosphere could result in a catastrophic 3-4 degree centigrade rise in global temperatures over time. The only solution is to immediately stop consuming fossil fuels and make the transition to energy efficient appliances and sun and wind power. This will not be fast or easy but cannot be avoided.
The Land Alliance is most grateful to Mr. McKibben for taking time out of his busy schedule to educate and inspire us.
