10:10 explodes into action...

Date 1st Sep 2009
Submitted by franny on 1 September 2009 - 8:01am

1010 snapshothttp://www.guardian.co.uk/1010

10:10 is The Age of Stupid's answer to the question of 'what can I do?'

We've been being asked that question ever since the first public screening of Stupid, and at every screening since. It's very hard to give a clear, simple, positive answer to a question like that. I mean, what can an ordinary person do in the face of a threat so vast and unassailable?

We realised that effective action on climate change means collective action. While scientists say we need a roughly 10% cut in emissions in the developed world next year, even governments like the UK's - who are genuinely leading the world in terms of concrete commitments to emissions targets - have nothing like that level of ambition, or sense of urgency.

But we can't sit on our hands any longer waiting for somebody else to do something, and judging from the questions at screenings all over the developed world, people feel ready to try to get on with making a difference themselves. All we need is a clear place to start - and that's where 10:10 comes in. 

By committing to cut your emissions by 10% in 2010, you will join thousands of individuals, schools, hospitals, businesses and organisations all actively helping to combat climate change by making simple changes to their lifestyles, homes and workplaces. More importantly, your voice will help to put pressure on the politicians to cut Britain’s emissions as quickly as the science demands. If we in the UK can prove that fast, deep cuts can be made at a national level, then we may just inspire all the other big polluting countries to follow suit.

10:10 is initially launching as a national campaign to cut the UK's domestic emissions, but as ever at Stupid Towers, you may have guessed that we have plans to take this thing global, so watch this space - or keep your eye on 1010uk.org over the coming weeks.

In the meantime, please get on with telling everyone you know to get signed up to make 10:10 happen. This can only work if we get enough people, schools, businesses and other organisations behind it, and judging by the momentum it has already, we actually think that we might have a chance of making a genuine difference in the struggle to prevent catastrophic climate change. Let's get started.