On December 7, leaders from 192 countries will gather in Copenhagen to determine the future of our planet.
They're all part of the UN Climate Summit, which aims to create a global climate treaty to replace the Kyoto protocol. Try to imagine who's going to be at the table, and who's lobbying like crazy to be there, too. The mind boggles.
So, what's an average bloke to do? What if you don't want to just sit back and watch and wait? Well, the UN and a coalition of advertising agencies came up with a campaign to raise awareness of the summit and its importance. And to encourage us to sign a petition that will persuade leaders to act. "Show the world you support change." Some clever writer created the inspiring (and Obamaesque) twist, Hopenhagen. "Turn Copenhagen into Hopenhagen."
Fantastic, right? Millions of signatures carry a lot of weight. They'll encourage our leaders to do the right thing.
But is there something more we can do? Can we move beyond a petition? Take action? Maybe even go to Copenhagen?
Yes. Yes. Yes. Zazengo has launched a new campaign on Facebook to help people take active steps toward reducing their own carbon footprint. And doing so can help you earn a place at the table.
It's called the Hopenhagen passport. And it's the brainchild of Vicki Saunders, CEO of Zazengo. Zazengo is an online engine designed to help people move from awareness into positive action at home, at work, and in their community.
I asked her how the Hopenhagen passport works. "Our goal is to go beyond the petition. We want to show actions that people are taking in their daily lives to reduce their carbon footprint, like turning off lights, unplugging electronics, and washing clothes in cold water. And things they're doing to encourage more action, like writing to elected leaders. As you take action, and invite your friends to get involved, you move up from citizen to delegate to envoy to ambassador. The more you do, and the more you encourage others - you get points for their actions, too - the faster and further you go."
Regular readers will recognize Vicki Saunders as a New Radical (that is, she's applying the skills from her first career to help save the world - for more, see archived articles about the New Radicals). Vicki is a serial entrepreneur whose focus has shifted to developing sustainable businesses that tackle major challenges. Companies, organizations, and government agencies use Zazengo tools to challenge their stakeholders to take action and track the results of what happens.
Like the Hopenhagen passport.
So, are you ready to become a citizen of the world? Do you want to add your name to the petition and sign up for a Hopenhagen passport? What do you think is going to come out of Copenhagen? And are you feeling hopeful about the future of our planet? Please comment below, or, as always, I invite you to email me directly at JULIA (AT) WEARETHENEWRADICALS (DOT) (COM).
Julia Moulden is on tour, talking about the New Radicals. She has signed the petition, and will create a passport this weekend.