Bill McKibben, who founded 350.org in order to build a global grassroots movement to help solve the climate crisis, returns to Wisconsin February 23 to participate in the 40th American Birkebeiner Cross-Country Ski Marathon (“the Birkie”), North America’s largest ski event.

A seasoned classic cross-country skier, McKibben will ski the 54 kilometers from Cable to Hayward, Wisconsin, along with 10,000 skiers from all over the world, including more than 50 Cool Planet Skiers that will raise funds and engage people to take action. He will also present a talk, Celebrating and Preserving Winter, at the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, Minnesota, February 20, and at Macalester College, February 21.

350.org is so named for the need to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million, an amount established by scientists as necessary to preserve the planet. The organization motivates citizens to take actions in their personal lives and to demand change at the public policy level.

For more information, call Cool Planet Director Paul Thompson at 952-920-1547 or 612-810-4664 or visit CoolPlanetMN.org.