National teach-in on global warming

Area colleges join in with events focused on awareness and solutions.

Monday, January 28, 2008By Meghan Rubado Staff writer

A national teach-in on global warming this week will bring together students, experts and regular citizens at more than 1,100 locations, including more than a dozen in Central New York.

The event is called "Focus the Nation: Global Warming Solutions for America." Syracuse University and the State University College of Environmental Science and Forestry are hosting a joint teach-in Thursday with a full day of events, including presentations by nationally recognized experts and a round-table discussion between students and local lawmakers.

Le Moyne College students Wednesday afternoon plan to TEACH- trek from their student center down to Erie Boulevard East and back on foot and bicycle. They'll carry signs and banners to draw attention to environmental issues.

Also holding events for the teach-in are Onondaga Community College, Cayuga Community College, Colgate University, Cornell University, Ithaca College, the State University College at Oswego and Wells College.

Colleges and universities aren't the only institutions involved. May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society in Syracuse and EarthWorks ecoministry at St. James Church in Skaneateles held events Sunday. So did the Central New York chapter of a habitat gardening group called Wild Ones.

Janet Allen, who organized events for both May Memorial and the Wild Ones group, said the events should help draw attention to global warming and inspire people to take action.

"The faith community can take a leadership role and get involved in the issues of global warming and renewable energy," Allen said. "It's a really crucial issue. This will continue beyond just this week. The decisions we make in the next year or two will determine the futures of our children and grandchildren."

Here's a look at some of the events going on. All are free and open to the public.

Ö Apology to Mother Earth, 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Chief Irving Powless Jr. of the Onondaga Nation leads this event at the Alumni Lounge, Marshall Hall on the SUNY ESF campus.

Ö Le Moyne "Stroll 'n Roll," 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Participants on foot and bicycle will carry banners and signs from the Le Moyne campus center and proceed down to Erie Boulevard East via Springfield and Thompson roads. They'll continue on Erie, up Smith Street and back to Le Moyne.

Ö National webcast of "2% Solution," 8 p.m. Wednesday.

A live, interactive webcast will address the question, "Can the nation cut global warming pollution 2 percent a year for the next decade? If so, what would it take?"

These are some locations offering the webcast: Marshall Auditorium on SUNY ESF campus; May Memorial Society, 3800 E. Genesee St.; Stratton Lecture Hall, Wells College, Aurora.

Ö Keynote address by Donald Brown, of Penn State, 1 p.m. Thursday.

At Syracuse University's Eggers Hall, Room 220, environmental policy expert Brown will present "Turning Up the Volume about the Ethical Dimensions of Climate Change."

Ö Speech by Dr. Patrick Moore, a co-founder of Greenpeace, 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Moore, chair and chief scientist of Greenspirit Strategies Ltd., will present "Nuclear's Role in a Sustainable Energy Future" in Room 120 of the Campus Center at Oswego State.

For a full listing of schedules or to see if your alma mater is hosting an event, visit www.focusthenation.org and click on "National Teach-in."