Global warming activists urge U.S. emissions cuts

By Deborah Zabarenko, Environment Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Global warming activists formed a "human postcard" on Capitol Hill, dove to a coral reef off Key West and fanned out across Manhattan's financial district on Saturday to call for cuts in greenhouse gas emissions that fuel climate change.

More than 1,400 events in all 50 states were part of the Step It Up campaign, all with the aim of urging the U.S. Congress to reduce heat-trapping carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050.

As a prelude to U.S. Earth Day on April 22, the day of climate action drew hundreds of people to Capitol Hill, where they formed the slogan "80 percent by 2050" and were photographed from above for a human postcard to be sent to members of Congress.

In New York City, about 1,200 people gathered at the tip of Manhattan for a rally and then spread out in a line across the city's low-lying financial district.

The so-called Sea of People demonstration, in which many participants wore blue and brought such props as scuba equipment and beach balls, was meant to delineate the part of the city that would be submerged if half of the Greenland ice sheet melted, said organizer Ben Jervey.

"I've been concerned with climate issues for a long time and the approach of this action -- distributed activism around the country ... to send a message directly to senators and representatives that we need to cut carbon emissions -- it's a much better approach to citizen action," Jervey said in a telephone interview.

'IT'S GETTING HOT DOWN HERE!'

In Florida, scuba divers ventured to Sand Key Reef, one of the world's most endangered living coral barrier reefs. In photographs posted on the campaign's Web site, stepitup2007.org, the divers were shown carrying signs reading "Step it up, Congress! 80% by 2050" and "It's getting hot down here!!"