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With a busy week behind you and the weekend within reach, there’s no shame in taking things a bit easy on Friday afternoon. With this in mind, every Friday TriplePundit will give you a fun, easy read on a topic you care about. So, take a break from those endless email threads, and spend five minutes catching up on the latest trends in sustainability and business.
On Sunday, more than 100,000 people and 1,400 businesses, schools and other organizations will take to the streets of New York City for the People's Climate March. It's being billed as "the largest climate march in history."
You've probably seen some details about the march buzzing around your favorite newsfeed, but in case there are any unanswered questions, we're here to help. To get you in the sign-waving mood, here are five things you need to know about the People's Climate March before it kicks off on Sunday.
But, as Jenny Marienau of 350.org put it in a recent interview with the Bard Center for Environmental Policy, that isn't all the march is about. It's also an opportunity for solidarity among citizens and organizations that see climate action as a priority:
"The People’s Climate March was planned as a way to take advantage of that national stage to demonstrate the power of the climate movement," Marienau said. "We tried to bring together all of the different constituencies involved, to flex the climate movement’s muscle and let it see itself all together, marching in the street."
Much like the 'Occupy' protests, the People's Climate March has no sole organizer. Several different bodies collaborated on the march, including local New York-area community groups, international NGOs, grassroots networks, churches and faith organizations, and many more. (Click here for a full list of participating organizations.) Some, like Patagonia, are taking things a step further: The outdoor apparel company will close all of its New York City stores on Sunday in support of the march.
On Tuesday, Sept. 23, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is hosting a climate change summit for political leaders in New York City. It will be the most high-profile, global moment focused on climate change in years -- making this weekend the perfect opportunity for stakeholders to make their voices heard.
Next week's climate meeting is the beginning of a series of summits aimed at solving some of the world's most pressing challenges. In September 2015, politicians and delegates will reconvene in New York to agree on the definite to-do list for ending poverty worldwide - an impossible task without addressing climate change, which threatens essentials like water, food, shelter and safety, Climate March organizers say. A global action plan on climate change is then due in Paris three months later.
If you live outside the area, one of the best things you can do to help out is to organize a bus in your local neighborhood and invite friends and neighbors to take part. Click here for details about becoming a bus captain.
The People's Climate March will be largest unified gathering in support of climate change action to date. While one protest may not turn the tides, it's an unparralled opportunity for concerned citizens, businesses and other stakeholders to make their voices heard. So, gather up those megaphones and protest signs, and we'll see you at the march!
Image credit: People's Climate March. Click here for more shareable graphics.
Based in Philadelphia, Mary Mazzoni is a senior editor at TriplePundit. She is also a freelance journalist who frequently writes about sustainability, corporate social responsibility and clean tech. Her work has appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, the Huffington Post, Sustainable Brands, Earth911 and the Daily Meal. You can follow her on Twitter @mary_mazzoni.
Mary Mazzoni is the senior editor of TriplePundit and director of TriplePundit's Brand Studio. She is based in Philadelphia and loves to travel, spend time outdoors and experiment with vegetarian recipes in the kitchen. Along with TriplePundit, her recent work can be found in Conscious Company and VICE’s Motherboard.