by: ROB GOLUB

RACINE - A high school student dressed as a penguin wiggled to blaring dance music atop one of those stone blocks at Monument Square.
"Keep the ice under my feet," read the sign in its hands, or, um, flippers.
There were six penguins altogether, plus a giant blow-up globe and students holding up blue cardboard numbers as big as people, all of it contributing to an atmosphere of purposeful ridiculousness. Yet it was to bring serious attention to an issue - climate change.

With about 200 in attendance, the Monument Square rally was just one of 5,200 similar events held Saturday around the world, according to organizers.
The "International Day of Climate Action," sponsored by 350.org, was to promote the notion that 350 parts per million of carbon dioxide is safe for humanity, rather than the current 387, according to organizers.
As students held poles each supporting a giant "3," "5" and "0," the dancing penguins took a break and speakers took turns at a podium to call for greater attention to the environment.
Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, called for attendees to "hold people like me accountable."

Another speaker suggested making one's home energy efficient and cuddling up in a blanket while lowering the heat.
The event was organized by a committee of students from area high schools, which met weekly at the Racine Public Library, 75 Seventh St., and then at Circa Celeste, 619 Wisconsin Ave.
Rachel Pettit, 17, a senior at Walden III High School, 1012 Center St., brainstormed with other students and English teacher Tom Rutkowski to come up with the idea to do the rally.
"We live in a global community," said Pettit. "Your decisions that you make every day don't just affect you and your family."

One speaker, Jamie Racine, 26, a local community organizer, is headed to Copenhagen in December to be present for international climate negotiations.
Racine spoke about global warming, claiming Wisconsin seasons could turn harsher and that around the world oceans could rise, displacing people from their homes. Racine referred to her 2-year-old daughter, who was also at the rally: "She will be the one that will be facing that."