This Saturday I plan to join a small group at a local church, which will join other small groups marching up the hill to Bowdoin College. At Bowdoin we will join a larger group, including a congressman and a former Maine governor, who will join an immense group of activists from 170 nations. We join all of them to “take a stand for a safe climate future.”

350.org was founded by Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature and other works about global warming and the environment. The number 350 refers to the parts per million (ppm) of CO2 in our atmosphere that is now considered the safe upper limit for life on this planet. Current estimates put us closer to 400 ppm, and it’s believed that if we stay at these levels or allow them to get higher, the resulting climate changes will lead to environmental catastrophes, and will ultimately be irreversible.

Here’s a video that illustrates what 350.org is about:

It’s truly amazing what international activists have planned for October 24. In the 170 participating countries, there are more than 4,000 actions planned! Take a look at this article Bill McKibben wrote for Yes! magazine. McKibben writes: “Some of these actions are so beautiful they make you weep: around the dwindling Dead Sea, Israeli activists will form a giant human 3 on their shore, and Palestinians a 5 on their beach, and in Jordan a huge 0. The message: even in places with deep divisions, people understand that the crisis that faces us now calls for real unity.”

I’m looking forward to joining others at Bowdoin to pose for our 350 photo on Saturday. Join us where you are! Visit 350.org to find an action happening near you, and share your stories with us here on Saturday!

Photo directed and photographed by John Quigley/Spectral Q