Passing 400

350.org had to start a new page, with some reactions to the rather alarming news from Mauna Loa.  Here are some choice quotes:

“On May 9th, for the first time ever, the world’s most important CO2 monitoring station recorded daily CO2 concentrations above 400 parts per million — the highest levels found on earth in over 5 million years…this is yet another sign that our dependence on fossil fuels is out of control.” – 400.350.org

“We’re in new territory for human beings–it’s been millions of years since there’s been this much carbon in the atmosphere. The only question now is whether the relentless rise in carbon can be matched by a relentless rise in the activism necessary to stop it.” -Bill McKibben, Co-Founder, 350.org

“Crossing the 400 ppm threshold is a somber reminder that we haven’t taken the action we need. Nevertheless there is good reason for hope — activists all across the globe are fighting the fossil fuel industry and demanding clean, just and affordable solutions to our energy needs.” –Payal Parekh, Coordinator, Global Power Shift

One can hope that the old saw “When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going”*will really kick in.   Of course, as the Chinese proverb goes, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” *