Several events in Evanston last weekend were part of the worldwide International Day of Climate Action. Participants in Renew the Rainbow, the Northwestern University Homecoming parade and 35-mile bike ride beginning at the lakefill joined other sustainably-minded persons from 170 countries to observe 350 International Day of Climate Action. The number “350” stands for 350 parts per million, the upper limit of a safe level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The present level is 387 parts per million, and proponents of reducing that number say doing so will “stop runaway climate change.”
Students for Ecological and Environmental Development, Environmental Campus Outreach at Hillel and Engineers for a Sustainable World Environmental at Northwestern University designed a sustainable parade float for use in NU’s homecoming parade.
Renew the Rainbow is part of a nationwide effort by religious congregations to bring attention to our need to take action against climate change. Information from the free family event, held at St. Athanasius Church on Oct. 24, said, “Climate Change is today’s version of the flood and, like Noah, we are called to protect God’s creation. It is through us that God is keeping his rainbow promise.”
The 35-mile bike ride, which took off from the lakefill at Northwestern, was organized in recognition of the International Day of Climate Action.