Organize an Event
On October 24th we need to send a message. The louder our message, the harder it will be to cast aside by the corporatocracy. That’s why we need your help.
It is now widely proven that global climate change is real, and that we are contributing to its severity. Real change will require widespread public support, which we do not have right now. On October 24th, we have a chance to call upon our community members to help us send a message that will be heard around the world—it’s time to take a serious look at climate change issues and create a plan to address the changes we’re causing.
Help us by organizing a River of Action event in your community. Work with a local paddling shop, club or organization to bring your community together to represent 350 as prominently as you possibly can. And share your message with everyone—because the louder our voice, the closer we get to meaningful change.
Organizing an action for October 24th takes a little planning. We’re here to help you as much as possible, but you must take the initiative. Ready? Start here.
10 Steps to a Creative, Engaging and Powerful Day of Action
Step 1: Figure out where, when and how you want to do your action. We like the idea of forming big floating 350s with boats on the water, but maybe you have a different awesome idea. Set realistic goals, but think big. Keep photo logistics in mind—getting a good photo of your action is important.
Step 2: Register your action on 350.org. Fill in all of the information you can, keeping in mind that you don’t need every single detail figured out yet. Make sure to include “River of Action” in the tag/keyword field when registering.
Go here: http://www.350.org/en/oct24
Step 3: Work out the details. The earlier you get the logistics figured out, the better. Do you need a permit? Tidal/river level considerations? Is there already a paddlesports event planned that you could collaborate with? Sponsorship opportunities?
Step 4: Get everything set up on facebook. Join the River of Action group, then create a River of Action event. Make sure to include as many relevant details as possible. If you’re not facebook savvy, get someone involved who is.
Step 5: Invite everyone you know, and ask them to invite everyone they know. Invite community leaders to get involved. These are the influential paddlers, the folks who are very involved and the social butterflies. Think—folks with tons of friends on facebook and who are active Tweeters. Invite your mayor, governor, and members of city council!
Step 6: Make a banner—something that represents 350 that you can include in the photo of your action. Local style influence is encouraged!
Step 7: Get the media involved. Figure out who the contact folks are at the local paper, TV stations, radio stations, etc. We’ll help you get a press release drafted to send to these folks, but you need to know in advance where to send them. Designate a specific person to do interviews on the Day of Action.
Step 8: Plan a pre-event planning party for Thursday, October 15th. This will be a fun opportunity to get folks together, generate local excitement for the Day of Action and do some brainstorming. We’re producing a 15-minute film about climate change and kayaking that we’ll give you to show at your party. We’ll also have some gear from River of Action sponsors to raffle off. Local beer companies will often donate kegs for events like this.
Step 9: Take action! October 24th is our big day. Have fun, and make sure to shoot photos and video.
Step 10: Report back. Upload your best photo to 350.org, and a handful of your best photos to the River of Action Facebook group. Have whoever shot video of the Action put together a quick clip for Facebook and YouTube.
