Step it Up Tomorrow!

Want to help change the world tomorrow? November 3rd, 2007, is Step It Up's second national day of action. The organization's goal is to "empower the grassroots climate movement to take action locally by calling for national change." Step it Up has helped to organize rallies throughout the country to raise awareness about global warming and to initiate policy changes at both a local and national level. Visit their website to find an event near you.

Of the 18 presidential candidates invited to events tomorrow, 8 will be attending along with 78 members of Congress. The presidential candidates attending are Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, Barack Obama, and Bill Richardson.

Step it Up was founded by Bill McKibben, author of Fight Global Warming Now: The Handbook for Taking Action in Your Community, but most of the team members are in their twenties. Step it Up is working with the 1 Sky Initiative, which has come up with a clear plan for "avoiding the worst effects of global warming and creating a clean energy economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty." The three priorities of the plan are:


GREEN JOBS NOW
5 MILLION GREEN JOBS CONSERVING 20% OF OUR
ENERGY BY 2015

CUT CARBON 80% BY 2050
FREEZE CLIMATE POLLUTION LEVELS NOW AND CUT AT
LEAST 80% BY 2050 AND 30% BY 2020

NO NEW COAL
A MORATORIUM ON NEW COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS

Saturday's events will encourage our legislators to make these priorities their priorities too. They will also be great places to network with other like-minded individuals, and to send a message to Congress that we are concerned about climate change. Your attendance will also demonstrate your commitment to taking action both on Tuesday at the ballot box, and on presidential election day a year from now.

Ten Ways is also a friend and ally of Step it Up. For the complete list of friends and allies, click here.