The 350 message has really taken off in the northwest corner of the U.S. in a town called Bellingham, Washington. Climate activists there have put their own creative spin on the number however – just last weekend they organized a community-wide event to all do yoga together in the name of 350. Rather than a simple speech or power point presentation, these yogis used their bodies to explain what 350 means, and current climate science. They started out in the chattaranga pose – hovering flat above the ground to represent where we used to be, pre-industrial revolution. Then they moved into the Upward dog, laying flat on the ground with head and back curved upwards – to represent the emissions trajectory since the beginning of the industrial revolution. The crowd then moved into the downward dog, which symbolized both the steep rise in emissions over the last 200 years, and then the sharp decline we’d need to see to get to 350ppm CO2. Besides the great symbolism, these climate activists recognize that they ought to be limber and flexible to be able to prepare and adapt to the long term work needed to cope with climate change. To get involved with 350 yoga, check out the blog, watch the great video below, and get inspired in your community:
After the event, local businesses opened their doors to the yogis for $3.50 margaritas and $3.50 burritos, all within 350 steps of the event. There’s no need to wait till October 24th to take action! Think about what creative events you can plan to build momentum and excitement towards the big day.