Climate Activists Seek to 'Focus the Nation'
U.S. Wide Teach-In Targets Global Warming
"Focus the Nation" is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday, Jan. 30, with a live, interactive Webcast on Earth Day Television. The one-hour program will feature an online discussion of "The 2% Solution" led by climate scientists Stephen Schneider, sustainability guru Hunter Lovins and social justice/eco-activist Van Jones.
The program's title is based on what many say is our only solution to preventing catastrophic climate change: a 2 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions every year for the next 40 years.
More than 1,600 grade schools, high schools, colleges, universities, faith organizations and civic groups have so far signed up to participate in Focus the Nation by setting up local screenings of "The 2% Solution." Participating groups plan to follow up those screenings with day-long teach-ins on climate change and solutions.
Participants expect to discuss everything from global warming denial, social justice and the implications of peak oil to local responses, the future of food and alternative energy opportunities.
"Today's youth are truly the greatest generation," said Eban Goodstein, creator of Focus the Nation and a professor of economics at Lewis & Clark College. "No other generation has had to face this kind of challenge. We would be failing as educators if we did not prepare them with the tools necessary to launch a clean energy revolution."
Following the teach-in, Focus the Nation is encouraging participating students and citizens to take the lead in "Green Democracy" by meeting with their elected representatives to discuss solutions to climate change. It's also urging people to vote on what they believe are the best solutions to climate change, whether it's investing in clean energy, capping carbon dioxide emissions, taxing global warming pollution or another strategy.
Focus the Nation's organizers hope to build enough grassroots momentum for climate change action before the next U.S. president and Congress begin setting their new agenda in February 2009.
Published by Shirley Gregory
I earned a geology degree from Northwestern University, and have written for The Chicago Tribune, Daily Journal, internet.com, Web Hosting Magazine, and other magazines, newspapers and Internet publications.... View profile
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- Focus the Nation at www.focusthenation.org
- Organizers say "Focus the Nation" is the largest teach-in in U.S. history.
- The teach-in will involve a day of discussion at more than 1,600 locations around the U.S.
- Experts say we need to cut carbon emissions by 2 percent a year for 40 years to curb climate change.