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WASHINGTON, DC – Kicking off its campus campaign for Earth Day 2008, Earth Day Network is sponsoring Focus the Nation – an unprecedented teach-in on solutions to global warming that will simultaneously educate close to one million youth. Several hundred high schools, faith organizations and civic groups will also participate. The national teach-in day, January 31st, will be preceded by a web cast on January 30th at 8 pm EST, aired on Earth Day TV. Additionally, Earth Day Network has developed the K-12 curriculum for the event.
The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 began with a teach-in. Climate change has caused a new groundswell of activism on college campuses, which will play a leading role on Earth Day 2008 when 1,000 plus campus events will take place. With more than 1,500 colleges and universities in all fifty states, Focus the Nation will be the starting gun that will provide students with the information and motivation to organize against global warming.
“In this election year, young people are proving that they care and that they count – especially on the issue of climate,” said Kathleen Rogers, President of Earth Day Network. “On Earth Day, thousands of campuses around the country will hold events and register young voters who will add their voices to those already demanding swift, bold action on climate change.”
The teach-in will culminate in solutions-based round table discussions between students, elected leaders and Congress. Confirmed members of Congress include Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA). All participants across the country will then vote on top solutions. The top five results from the Choose Your Future vote will be announced on Feb. 13, 2008.
"We are excited to be working with Earth Day Network to continue to ‘Focus the Nation’ on global warming solutions this Earth Day,” said Eban Goodstein, creator of Focus the Nation and professor of economics at Lewis & Clark College.
The next step in the campus build-up to Earth Day is Chill Out: Campus Solutions to Global Warming. The contest, also sponsored by Earth Day Network, recognizes campuses and campus leaders for their efforts to solve global warming issues. On April 16, Earth Day TV will host the Chill Out broadcast.
Earth Day Network encourages groups to hold their own Earth Day 2008 events in their campuses and communities and to register them at www.earthday.net.
About Earth Day Network
Earth Day Network, www.earthday.net, seeks to grow and diversify the environmental movement worldwide, and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable planet. It pursues these goals through education, politics, cultural events, and consumer activism. Earth Day Network has a global reach with a network of more than 17,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries. More than 1 billion people participate in Earth Day activities, making it the largest secular civic event in the world.
The 39th Earth Day will be celebrated on April 22, 2008.
About Focus the Nation
Focus The Nation is an unprecedented educational initiative on global warming solutions for America occurring at more than 1,500 campuses, faith and civic organizations 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 www.focusthenation.org.
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