350.org
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"Up" is the number of experts who agree that the nonprofit has had the most impact in the
field. "Down" is the number of experts who disagree that the nonprofit has had the most impact in field.
Located: Oakland, CA
Founded: 2008
Mission: 350.org unites an international movement around the climate solutions that science and justice demand.
Summary
Stories
Expert Reviews
Leadership
From the Nonprofit
Leadership
Bill McKibben.
Bill McKibben, a well known environmental author and activist, is the founder of 350.org, an international climate change campaign. 350.org is named for the safe level of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere, 350 parts per million. On October 24, 2009, 350.org organized what CNN called "the most widespread day of political action in the planet's history." This October 10, 2010…
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Financial Data
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Contact Info
| Website: | http://www.350.org | Address: | |
| E-Mail: | Contact form | Oakland, CA 94612, USA | |
| Phone: | 510-250-7864 | ||
| Facebook: |
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Story:
350.org was started by environmental writer Bill McKibben and a team of seven friends from Middlebury College in Vermont. It originated from the Step It Up 2007 campaign, which culminated in over a day of action with 1,400 events in all 50 states, which advocated to cut carbon 80% by 2050. Within a week, presidential candidates John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama signed on to the 80% by 2050 target for the first time.
In 2008, the Step It Up team decided to take this model of uniting distributed actions online with a common message and see if could work at the global level. Around the same time, one of the world's most respected climate scientists, James Hansen, published a paper setting 350 ppm as the safe upper limit of CO2 in the atmosphere. The abstract of the paper read that C02 must be reduced below 350 ppm in order to maintain a planet "similar to civilization developed and life on Earth is adapted." Bill McKibben quickly seized on 350 as "the most important number in the world" and within weeks after Hansen's paper their team launched 350.org.
Their campaign quickly gained momentum. In December 2008, Al Gore endorsed the 350 ppm target and a few months later Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the International Panel on Climate Change, and influential economist Sir Nicholas Stern also signed on to the target. Their staff grew to 35 campaigners scattered across the planet, from internet cafes in Burundi to apartments in New Delhi. As their October 24 International Day of Climate Action approached, hundreds of partner organizations signed on board and thousands of volunteers got to work organizing local events. The result was truly spectacular. October 24 united over 5,200 events in more than 180 countries, what CNN later called "the most widespread day of political action in the planet's history." Foreign Policy magazine referred to it as "the largest coordinated global rally of any kind."
350.org carried this momentum to the UN Climate Meetings in Copenhagen in December 2009. At those talks, 350.org worked to support the 112 countries that endorsed the 350 ppm target. Those were mostly the most-vulnerable nations to climate change, the island states and African countries that new the devastating consequence of higher levels of C02. They helped mobilize tens of thousands of people in the streets of Copenhagen, organized thousands of candlelight vigils around the world with the TckTckTck campaign, and kept their supporters up to speed with Tweets and Facebook updates from the talks. Copenhagen, of course, did not produce the fair, ambitious and binding climate treaty that so many were hoping for. And so, this year, their work continues. (Source: http://www.350.org/media/about350)
Expert Reviews of 350.org
Evidence of Impact Summary:
350.org has raised awareness on climate change, and motivated individuals to take collective action through its grassroots, creative approach. It had impressive visibility with their 350 campaign in the months and weeks leading up to Copenhagen. In addition, 350.org is the forefront of articulating a science-based bottom line for climate policy. It is very clear in emphasizing that we must get to an atmospheric concentration of no more than 350 ppm CO2.See expert comments.
Organization Strengths Summary:
Because of their strong grassroots capabilities and effective use of social media and technology, 350.org has been able to spread their excellent message across cultures, engaging a younger community member. Their charismatic leader and energetic staff have been able to craft a message that encourages action.See expert comments.
Areas for Improvement Summary:
Some experts think 350.org will need to expand the ways they reach out to people and really find ways to incite citizens to action. Some experts also think 350.org ought to consider taking their work into the policy realm.See expert comments.
Expert Comments: Evidence of Impact
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Impact |
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There needs to be a creative, grassroots climate movement and 350.org connects climate science with hope. | ||
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In my view, the two most important things 350.org has done are (1) to help articulate a science-based bottom line for climate policy (i.e. an atmospheric concentration of no more than 350 ppm CO2) and (2) helped build a social movement for the real changes that we need. | ||
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350.org has incredible outreach. Their October 24 Day of Action is a great program. | ||
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350.org has made an impact on raising awareness for climate change issues and inspiring action. They have been able to motivate individuals to take collective action, which is a formidable task. | ||
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350.org had impressive visibility with their 350 campaign in the months and weeks leading up to Copenhagen. | ||
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350.org is getting the number 350 (ppm) into the dialogue. They are very focused on this message and their laser focus has paid off. Most environmental groups are afraid to speak the truth on this (that if we don't get to 350 ppm we may as well not bother) so it's vital that 350 continues to blare this message. | ||
Expert Comments: Organization Strengths
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Engage Youth through Social Networking |
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I like the youthful element, and the lack of compromise (yes, it's a good thing, the earth's future cannot be compromised). | ||
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I love the youthful energy, online skills, and global perspective of this organization. They have scaled up really fast. Now they need to quickly apply their power to actual solutions rather than instigating a public display of support for action. | ||
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They do very effective work, especially in the realm of organizing, communications, online campaigning, and engaging new audiences. | ||
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Great use of social networking and multi-media tools that appeal to younger and/or high-tech folks. | ||
Dedicated Leader and Energetic Staff |
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350.org has a skilled, charismatic, influential, and incredibly dedicated leader in Bill McKibben and other very energetic and talented staff. Every time I ran into Bill at Copenhagen it was like a breath of fresh air and inspiration. They are doing a great job helping to train and support activists around the world. | ||
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I know the individuals and their work very well, and I am very impressed by the energy, wisdom and integrity. They have had a huge impact in just a few years, and their founder Bill McKibben is a hero of this movement who has changed the minds of millions of people through writing, lecturing, and organizing. | ||
Focused Message to Encourage Action |
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Their strengths are their leadership, reach, and that they empower people. | ||
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The staff, leadership, and marketing are all core strengths of 350.org. Their message is always focused, simple, and encourages action. | ||
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They have strong grassroots capabilities, are a great mobilizing force, are creative campaigners, and have a global reach. | ||
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They have a global reach and an excellent message. | ||
Expert Comments: Areas for Improvement
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Other (consultants, journalists, policy makers) (O)
Find New Ways to Incite Folks to Action |
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They are mostly virtual, but they could expand in many ways. | ||
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It will be interesting to see how the organization sustains post-Copenhagen. Without that discrete call to action, they'll have to get creative about finding more ways to engage citizen activism. | ||
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350.org appears 'touchy feely.' They need to provide more concrete steps for people to take in the US to persuade Congress to take action. | ||
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Strengths can be weaknesses--like most groups today, 350 overly-relies on electronic activism and doesn't attempt much by way of old fashioned face-to-face grassroots organizing. My concern here is that people tend to be passive while they're on-line and at most will click a button to sign a petition but not much more. | ||
Expand into the Policy Realm |
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They could continue to expand their policy expertise, though their focus is rightly grassroots organizing rather than policy wonkiness. | ||
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They should have more involvement in policy work. | ||
Leadership
Bill McKibben
Co-Founder and Global Organizer
Co-Founder and Global Organizer
From the Nonprofit
|
Putting Solar on the White House! Oct 06, 2010 |
The Obama administration announced on Oct 5th that they are going to put solar panels on the First Family's living quarters, returning to a tradition begun by president Jimmy Carter and abandoned by Ronald Reagan. Read more at: http://www.350.org/en/about/blogs/breaking-putting-solar-white-house
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