Fletcher takes part in Focus The Nation
Fletcher’s CIERP (Center for International Environment and Resource Policy) will sponsor a panel of local legislators—moderated by Fletcher professor and international climate change expert Bill Moomaw—during the Focus The Nation event on the Tufts campus. The event will be held on Jan. 30 & 31. For more information, see the press release below.
TUFTS UNIVERSITY JOINS LARGEST TEACH-IN IN US HISTORY
Thousands of campuses help focus nation on solutions to global warming
Medford, MA — 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. Tufts University host several local, regional and national civic leaders, including: Congressman Ed Markey (via live-feed from DC); Adam Markham from Clean Air – Cool Planet, Wood Turner of Climate Counts, State Senator Jim Marzilli, Michael J. McGlynn, Mayor of Medford, Joseph A. Curtatone, Mayor of Somerville and State Senator Pat Jehlen to engage in the Green Democracy round-table.
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.
For more information on Tufts University and their participation in Focus The Nation, please visit Tufts' Focus The Nation, or call 617-627-5517.
Focus The Nation is an unprecedented educational initiative on global warming solutions for America occurring at more than 1,000 universities and colleges and in all 50 states on Jan. 31, 2008. As the largest teach-in in U.S. history, Focus The Nation is preparing millions of students to become leaders in the largest civilizational challenge any generation has faced. For more information, please visit Focus The Nation.
CONTACT: Tina Woolston: Tina.woolston@tufts.edu, 617-627-5517