Revolutionary Ride Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

REVOLUTIONARY RIDE FROM LEXINGTON TO CONCORD SOUNDS ALARM

Bike riders call for a clean energy revolution as part of the

International Day of Climate Action on October 24^th.

We’re all familiar with the story of the revolution that started in Lexington when riders raised the alarm that the British were coming. On October 24th, a group of bike riders will be riding from the Lexington Green to the Old North Bridge in Concord to sound a different kind of alarm and to signal the start of a new revolution, an energy revolution.

The riders will be raising the alarm that climate change is coming and calling each of us to muster the courage to take a stand to reverse the environmental pollution that is putting our civilization at risk.

When the riders reach the Old North Bridge, they will be joined by hundreds of attendees from area towns across the region for an Energy Revolution Rally which will be held in Minuteman National Park starting at 2PM on October 24^th. The energy revolution rally in Concord will be one of 1,800 events held in over 140 countries around the world as part of the International Day of Climate Action and will send a message to our political leaders that there is strong worldwide support for immediate action to protect our climate.

Climate Change Impact in Lexington

Recent studies predict that Lexington will experience 62 days a year of temperatures over 90 degrees and 12 days a year of temperatures over 100 degrees, if we don’t change the way we use and produce our energy. These studies call for a significant reduction in our use of fossil fuels as the best way to lower the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million.

The number 350 comes from the latest scientific estimates of how much carbon dioxide is a safe level in the atmosphere. At the moment, burning coal, oil, and gas have taken that number too high—the atmosphere currently holds about 385 parts per million of carbon dioxide. “As a result, the planet is heating up too fast,” said Bill McKibben, former Lexington resident and environmental author and coordinator of the worldwide 350.org campaign.

“In December of 2009, the world’s leaders will meet in Copenhagen to forge an international agreement on global warming,” McKibben said. “So people in every country on earth are mobilizing to make sure that they don’t bend to the special interests and instead meet the targets science has laid out.”

Revolutionary Ride Details

Revolutionary Riders (and carpoolers) will be gathering on the Lexington Green in front of Hancock Church at 1912 Massachusetts Ave. at 12:15PM and will depart for the Old North Bridge at 12:30PM. The riders will follow the Old Battle Road trail through the Minuteman National Park.

Mountain bikes or hybrid bikes are recommended. Bring a helmet, a water bottle and something to eat.

The event is free and open to the public. All are welcome to attend.

Let us know you are coming by clicking here - http://www.350.org/node/6716