350.org has started a campaign to gather organizer stories from around the world, and share them with our network. After all, we’re a global movement, and stories matter. Have a story you’d like to share? Head over to local.350.org/stories. The following comes from Shiela, who lives in the Philippines.


 

“Even if I am not a member of a local 350 group, I’ve always followed 350 as a climate action movement. I’ve been wanting to be part of the 350.org community, at least virtually I believe I am. [Editor’s note: She most definitely is.] But the opportunity to really take part in a 350 global event was during the Moving Planet event.

When the Moving Planet event was being promoted, I wanted to take part in a local event. But that time, I was mostly travelling for work. I thought if I do not find a local event, then I would create my own. 

So the day came and I had to be on travel for about 6 hours, by bus and then by ferry. So what I did was to print some slogans before I left, and told my chief collaborator that I wanted to do a moving-Moving-Planet-event of my own, while we travel. I asked him to take my pictures as I talked to people and ask them to hold my slogans and pose for the camera. It was a really fun experience, a little crazy, yes but really fun! 

I must have been seen by a few hundred people as I flashed my Moving Planet slogan with strangers who gamely did so for me. I had to pat my back. It certainly took courage to do it and be probably seen as crazy by some. But if one or two people became interested about climate change because of what I did, then I consider it a success.

When I did this Moving Planet activity, I was already a part of The Climate Reality Project as a presenter (I trained under Al Gore in Jan. 2011). But I felt that as an environmental communicator that I should not be limited to a certain organization to do a worthwhile action. It was cool and crazy and I loved the reaction of the people. Some asked more questions and it was a wonderful opportunity to explain about climate change and the need to switch to renewable energy.” 


Got a story to share? Head to local.350.org/stories and tell us! If you’re looking to just enter into our new online network, local.350.org would be glad to have you.