(From Change.org)
October 15, 2009 was Blog Action Day, an annual event run by Change.org in which bloggers from around the world unite to write about the same topic on the same day. 
This year’s topic was climate change, and the response was overwhelming. More than 13,000 blogs from 155 countries with reach to 17 million readers participated, demonstrating the power of the web to connect people across the world who despite their varied backgrounds have one shared desire: to make a difference.
Several national governments also participated to express their support for the grassroots effort. United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown kicked off the event by publishing the first Blog Action Day post in Britain at 12:01am, and The White House added a blog post of its own later in the day, saying “it’s a real thrill to see that the worldwide blogosphere is turning its attention to an issue as important as climate change.”
Also involved were more than 50 of the world’s leading nonprofits: World Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace bloggers added their voices from around the globe, Oxfam helped emphasize the human side of the climate crisis, 1Sky wrote about the front lines of political activism in the U.S., TckTckTck released a beautiful new video, and The Nature Conservancy helped describe the science of climate change.
All of Change.org’s bloggers joined in the event as well, covering how climate change impacts each of our causes; From how climate change fuels conflict and war to how it causes unemployment and homelessness, there’s not a single issue untouched by this looming crisis.
What’s the impact of all of this? Well, the only way we’re going to make the personal and political commitments necessary to avoid our climate crisis is if people fully understand the gravity of the threat we face and how it will impact each of our lives. What’s unique about Blog Action Day is that it causes thousands of bloggers who don’t usually write about social issues to engage in a new conversation, and to spread that discussion to a wider audience than ever before. We also hope this year’s event will serve as an entry point for many to get involved in the ongoing movement to fight climate change, which you can find out more about here.
Want more? Check out the summaries below to see how your favorite causes covered Blog Action Day 2009 and played their role in spreading conversation about the threat of climate change.
Top Actions This Week
Tell President Obama it’s Time to Act on Climate Change
by Alliance for Climate Protection
Take action »
Help Strengthen America’s Toxic Chemicals Standards
by Environmental Defense Action Fund
Take action »
Some of the Blog Posts:
Green Supply Chains and Slave Labor
The creation of green collar jobs and the greenification of production is a hot topic these days, especially as climate change rises to the top of the international agenda. But can we make production greener while protecting the rights of those humans who are doing the producing? That’s a question tackled by End Human Trafficking blogger Amanda Kloer, who writes that green labor and fair labor should never be strange bedfellows. It’s a healthy reminder that just because a product may be “greener” — for example, the Toyota Prius — doesn’t mean that it’s not tainted by slave labor in its supply chain.
Undermining Peace and Stability
Stop Genocide blogger Michelle writes that access to vital resources has always been a driver of conflict, and it’s made much worse in a world battling the effects of climate change. The impact of climate change is already felt in some of the world’s most troubled regions, like Sudan and eastern Chad, fueling fears that the necessary ingredients for sustainable peace may be further from our grasp than before realized. A combination of environmental and human rights activism is needed if we have any chance of averting even further disaster — if it isn’t already too late. (Read more)
Environmental Homelessness
Today, more people are being displaced by environmental causes than by war and political persecution combined. And if you think that’s shocking, wait until you see what this planet looks like in 40 more years. End Homelessness blogger Shannon Moriarty writes that experts predict that by 2050, more than 200 million people could be displaced by the effects of climate change. If you think we have a homelessness problem now, just wait until it comes time to finding shelters for nearly a quarter of a billion people around the world. (Read more)
Eating Less Meat
We’d like to introduce you to meat, the single worst thing humans can consume in regards to the environment. That’s because, according to Sustainable Food guest blogger Mike Smith, factory farming has made animal agriculture the number one contributor to global warming on the planet. Since factory farming produces nearly every piece of meat in grocery stores and restaurants, one easy way to cut your personal emissions, and thus help the planet, is to cut your consumption of meat. Up for the challenge?
Needing Disruptive Innovation
When it comes to fighting climate change, we need nothing less than a radical shift in sentiment and perception of the responsibilities and opportunities of business to put our planet back on the right track. That’s the message from Social Entrepreneurship blogger Nathaniel Whittemore, who notes that current business models have contributed to our levels of consumption becoming easy, fast, customizable, and unsustainable. It’s time to break away from 200 years of thinking that emphasized supply and demand over sustainability.