The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will participate this week in “Focus the Nation,” an unprecedented teach-in on global warming solutions held at more than 1,000 universities and colleges in all 50 states.
Events will begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday (Jan. 30), with a panel discussion featuring North Carolina representatives Ty Harrell and Pricey Harrison, state Senator Ellie Kinnaird, Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton, and a taped video message by U.S. Rep. David Price.
At 8 p.m. the group will provide a live Webcast viewing of a national panel discussion, “2% Solution,” co-produced by the National Wildlife Federation and aired by the Earth Day Network. featuring Stanford University climate scientist Steve Schneider; Hunter Lovins, chief executive officer of Natural Capitalism; and environmental justice leader Van Jones, executive director of the Ella Baker Center in Oakland, Calif.
On Thursday (Jan. 31), more than 75 UNC professors in various disciplines will integrate global-warming topics into their curriculum for the day. A variety of events will accompany the teach-in, including a carnival in the student union where students and the general public can browse through informational booths, listen to environmental speakers and watch live performances.
A guided tour of the University’s “green” dorm, which houses the sustainable learning community, will also be available to interested community members.
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 the top five solutions from a list of 10, available online at www.focusthenation.org. 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, visit www.focusthenation.org .
Focus the Nation contact: Jessilyn Kemp, (336) 710-4808
UNC Student contact: Kate Jenkins, (252) 916-2794, ksj2009@email.unc.edu