Baobab Climate Change tour in Central Europe

Marta: over 1000 km by bike through Poland, from Cracow to Gdansk is the polish part of the Central European Tour of 'Baobab' - 5,5m high interactive installation.The installation holds an interactive element intertwining with a message on the importance of personal responsibility and the strength of a joint effort: 5 people are needed surround the tree at once placing their hands over the slits/wounds of the trunk, to revive the wilted branches. Similarly we need a common action to solve climate crisis.

The main goal of this tour/campaign is to raise awareness on climate change in Central Europe and highlight the importance of personal responsibility. It also signals the importance of the upcoming United Nations climate change conference this December, where world leaders are scheduled to sign a new agreement to tackle this issue. The decisions made there will determine much of our world’s chances at avoiding the potential for climate catastrophe, including rising sea levels, increased heat waves, droughts, floods, and millions climate refugees. There is also the opportunity for a treaty that will lead the world towards a more safe, just, and sustainable future.

Number 350 written on the trunk is the number that leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide – measured in “Parts Per Million” in our atmosphere. 350 PPM – it’s the number humanity needs to get back to as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change.

Baobab has already visited Czech Republic in June, soon is going to Poland, in August will be at Sziget festival and in September in Slovakia.

Polish tour is coordinated by Marta. The team who will travel through Poland by bike will consist of 6 people (2 Hungarians, 1 French, 1 Serbian, 2 Poles). The tour is organised with a polish NGO - Polska Zielona Sieć who are going to raft from Cracow to Gdansk by raft through the Vistula.
Both rafting and biking teams will meet in 5 cities to organize happenings on climate change. Dates are as follows:

July 10, 2009 - Kraków, - the Vistula riverbank close to the Wawel castle;

July 18, 2009 - Kazimierz Dolny - the Vistula riverbank;

July 24, 2009 - Warszawa - Czerniakowski harbour;

August 01, 2009 - Toruń - Philadelphia Boulevard;

August 08, 2009 - Gdańsk - close to the green bridge;

We are hoping to get as much of media coverage as possible. Thus, we will also invite people to bike with us in some parts of the route. If you happen to be in Poland that time please feel invited to visit us and share the news with your friends!

More about the campaign can be found here: http://www.messzelato.hu/baobab