KU News Release

State, community leaders to focus on green solutions for climate change at KU

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas will bring community, state and academic leaders together Jan. 30 and 31 to discuss solutions to the global-warming crisis.

Focus the Nation is an unprecedented teach-in on global warming solutions and a collaboration between thousands of college campuses across the world.

The signature event will be a roundtable discussion at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, at the Dole Institute of Politics featuring Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson; Sen. Marci Francisco, D-Lawrence; Sen. Roger Pine, R-Lawrence; Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence; Rep. Paul Davis, D-Lawrence; Rep. Tom Holland, D-Baldwin City; Rep. Tom Sloan, R-Lawrence; Lawrence Mayor Sue Hack; Lawrence City Commissioner Boog Highberger; and Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Richard Lariviere. The panelists will discuss what can be done at the local and state levels to combat global warming. The event is free and open to the public.

“Today’s college students are truly the greatest generation,” said Eban Goodstein, professor of economics at Lewis and Clark College, 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 three essential pillars for today’s youth to embrace in regard to climate change: education, civic engagement and leadership. KU’s Center for Sustainability and Hillel are sponsors for events.

“KU Hillel got involved with Focus the Nation as one component of Hillel International's broader sustainability campaign, in which campuses are encouraged to promote environmental sustainability within Hillel as well as across campus,” said Matt Lehrman, program director at KU Hillel. Known on campus for its green efforts, Hillel recently received a sustainability award from the university.

Hillel and the Center for Sustainability are encouraging faculty to spend a few minutes addressing global climate change in the classroom Jan. 30 and 31. Classes in a wide array of disciplines will participate in activities such as discussing climate change as it relates to the course material or taking part in more general exercises.

Jeff Severin, director of the Center for Sustainability, said he is impressed with the diversity of courses that are already signed up to participate in the teach-in.

“It truly demonstrates that global climate change is an issue that affects us all,” Severin said. “No matter what discipline we come from, we all have a role to play in addressing environmental challenges, so it is important to involve students and faculty from throughout our campus and the community in this discussion.”

For more information about Focus the Nation activities at KU, visit the Center for Sustainability Web site or call (785) 864-5804.

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The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.