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Focus
the Nation is coordinating teams of faculty and students at over
a thousand colleges, universities and K-12 schools in the United
States, to collaboratively engage in a nationwide,
interdisciplinary discussion about “Global Warming Solutions for
America”.
Focus the Nation is based in educational institutions, but also
is engaging Americans in their churches, mosques, synagogues,
businesses and civic organizations. The intent is to focus the
growing concern in the country about global warming, and to
create a serious, sustained and truly national discussion about
clean energy solutions, linking students and citizens directly
with our political leaders.
During the fall of 2007, Focus the Nation teams began creating
campus dialogue, sponsoring talks and debates, integrating discussion of climate
solutions into curricula, and drawing in faculty from across the curriculum.
From Oregon to Ohio, and Alabama to New Hampshire, professors began focusing on
global warming solutions in their classes, and traveling with their students to
interdisciplinary discussion sessions and forums. Because Focus the Nation will
engage thousands of organizers, and tens of thousands of educators, millions of
students will have the opportunity to be involved.
Focus the Nation will culminate January 31, 2008, in the form of
national symposia held simultaneously at over a thousand
campuses, places of worship, businesses, and other venues across
the country. On that day, each Focus the Nation team will invite
local, state and federal political leaders to come to campus and
participate in a non-partisan, round-table discussion of global
warming solutions. US Senators and members of congress, state
representatives, mayors and city councilors, all will be
receiving dozens of invitations to speak about global warming,
from over a thousand institutions nation-wide. Every campus will
also vote on their top five national priorities for global
warming action, producing a campus-endorsed policy agenda for
the 2008 elections.
(click
here for audio/video about
Focus the Nation)
Focus the Nation is growing rapidly. The key to our success is
the fact that, across the country, tens of thousands of
educators, students and citizens are eager for a way to engage
with global warming solutions, and quickly understand what Focus
the Nation can become. The project culminates in a national
teach-in in schools, places of worship and businesses, but Focus
the Nation is more than that. The growth potential is vast: this
is the opportunity to catalyze the country, and indeed, “Focus
the Nation” around a non-partisan, reasoned, campus-lead
discussion of this critical 21st century issue.
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