Support in Bangkok For International Climate Change Day
October 28, 2009 by admin
Filed under Initiatives
An international day of action to raise awareness on climate change took place in Bangkok recently. The driver behind the events is 350.org, an international campaign dedicated to uniting the world in the search for solutions to the climate crisis. The name “350″ refers to the maximum desired level of Co2 in the atmosphere. Currently the level is 387 parts per million. There were over 5,200 actions planned for this day in over 181 countries.
As part of this day of action, the Bangkok-based environmental charity, Plant a Tree Today Foundation, pledged to undertake a tree planting action. The foundation joined forces with Bangkok’s exclusive night spot Bed Supper Club to plant 350 mangrove saplings at one of its habitat restorations sites at Bang Pu near to Bangkok. Bed Supper Club regularly runs ‘green envy’ nights at it unique venue, incorporating a menu with all ingredients sourced locally. Part of the entrance fee is donated to PATT to fund this tree planting. PATT is also working with Bed to implement further environmental initiatives.
For the 350 event, PATT Foundation, Bed Supper Club staff and 350.org representatives were up to their waists in mud and water to plant mangrove saplings at a site that has previously been degraded. Mangroves form an important component to the intertidal ecosystem in this region and not only provide vital habitat for numerous marine fauna but also prevent erosion, lessening the effect of extreme events like tsunamis. PATT was pleased to report all 350 trees got planted and the trees are now under the watchful eye of the Royal Thai Army, who manage and maintain this habitat restoration site.
PATT’s country manger Dr Dan Rollinson said:
On the global scale of things, 350 trees may not at first seem a massive addition to global deforestation, but when you consider how many other actions were taking place today, the combined global effort is significant and many small actions do have a large effect. The challenge now is to maintain momentum and make tackling climate change a daily activity and not just one for specific days of action like today.
PATT is currently looking to expand its operations both within Thailand and further afield by forging new partnerships with like-minded companies or organisations that are keen to implement forest-based environmental initiatives.◊
