With climate change still a hot-button issue, the environmental activists at 350.org are hoping that by staging worldwide events on Oct. 10, world leaders will see that the issue needs resolving.

In their campaign, 350.org has organized a Global Work Party, also called 10/10/10 because of the event’s date, to encourage people world-wide to plan community events that build a clean energy future.

Although there are 1,700 registered events in the U.S. — including in Peoria, Springfield, and Fairbury — Champaign-Urbana currently has no events planned.

Though students seem to support the idea of an event, no one on campus has taken the initiative.

“Unfortunately the student senate’s committee for environmental sustainability has not been able to organize anything for 10/10/10,” said Adam Lentz, student senator and graduate student, in an e-mail. “I have talked with several groups on campus, and the answer seems to be the same. I hope something will pop up on the day. I myself have participated in several 350.org events, and they have all been very good.”

One event taking place close to home is a rally in Chicago supporting a clean power ordinance that would work to clean up the Fisk and Crawford coal-fired power plant.

“The Fisk and Crawford plant is the source of a lot of the emissions that cause health problems here in Chicago,” said Edyta Sitko, Chicago event organizer. “So that’s why we wanted to center our 10/10 (Oct. 10) event on a rally to support the power ordinance.”

According to the website, Peoria is hosting an event to promote increased recycling by their restaurants, bars, shops and churches.

The Springfield Bicycle Club will offer a 20 mile “EZ” ride from the Springfield area 10 miles out to Jubilee Farm, the site of a number of 10/10/10 projects.

Fairbury, population of 4,000 located in between Champaign and Pontiac, is hosting a biodiesel bus field trip to Spence Farm in Livingston to harvest organic corn and sorghum.

“The 350 day of action is a great way for people to come out and not just show support for climate change solutions, but also to send out a message to ‘get to work,’” Sitko said. “We have a lot of opportunities, not just in Chicago, but in the entire state of Illinois, and we hope to see everyone out there to help support and promote change.”

Climate experts and progressive national governments warn that unless carbon dioxide levels are rapidly reduced from the current 392 to below 350 parts-per-million by the end of this century, there may be irreversible environmental effects.

This fact is what inspired the formation of 350.org.

“Our message is: if we can get to work, so can our lawmakers,” Bill McKibben, 350.org founder and environmental author, said in a press release. “If we can climb up on the roof of a school and hammer in a solar panel, surely our politicians can get up on the floor of the Senate or the UN and pass some ambitious new laws.”

To check out the countless opportunities to get involved, visit www.350.org.