Tufts University: Global Warming
Fletcher takes part in Focus The Nation - 01/15/08
On Jan. 30 and 31, 2008, Tufts University will participate in Focus The Nation, an unprecedented teach-in model on global warming solutions. "Today's college students are truly the greatest generation," says Lewis & Clark professor of economics Dr. Eban Goodstein, author and project director for Focus The Nation. "No other generation has ever had to face this kind of civilizational challenge. And we as educators would be failing if we did not prepare them with the tools to meet this challenge."
Focus The Nation has created a teach-in model centered on the three most essential pillars for today's youth to embrace solutions to global warming: education, civic engagement and leadership.
"We are in a time where critical decisions need to be made on global warming, which means today's leaders and the youth who will inherit the crisis need serious education on the issue," said James "Gus" Speth, dean, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. "Focus The Nation is our country's foremost model to create that level of education and interaction with law makers."
The teach-in will kick off the night of Jan. 30, with the 2% Solution web cast produced by the National Wildlife Federation and aired by the Earth Day Network. Panelists will include actor Edward Norton, Stanford climate scientist Steve Schneider, Hunter Lovins, CEO, Natural Capitalism and environmental justice leader, Van Jones, executive director, Ella Baker Center in Oakland, Calif.
The next day, Jan. 31, will include a range of informational activities, including climate change topics discussion run by faculty in their classes and student made posters of climate change impacts. The event will culminate with a Green Democracy panel discussion between students and elected leaders on solutions to the crisis.
The final piece of Focus The Nation's teach-in model will be the Choose Your Future vote. All students, faculty and community participants will be encouraged to vote on what they think are the top five solutions from a list of ten to 15 that will be available Jan. 21, 2008 at Focus The Nation. Vote results will be presented nationally in mid February. All students who vote on the Choose Your Future ballot will be eligible to win a $10,000 leadership scholarship for a project to be completed by end of August 2008.
