January 17, 2007-The University of Utah is participating in Focus the Nation, a national educational and civic engagement initiative aimed at uniting millions of US citizens to find solutions to global warming. With more than 10,000 volunteers hosting events at over 1,300 schools, and with faith, civic, and business organizations participating on Thurs., January 31, Focus the Nation will be the largest Teach-in in history. For more information visit: http://www.focusthenation.org/nationalteachin.php.

The University of Utah Office of Sustainability and a coalition of students, faculty, staff, and community groups have planned a series of events throughout the month of January to engage Utah citizens in the global warming discussion.  All events are free and open to public.

Culminating events

Thursday, January 31^st – Panel Discussion: Policy Solutions to Global Climate Change – Opening remarks by President Michael K. Young. Panel features Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, Moab Mayor Dave Sakrison, Midvale Mayor Joanne Seghini and the Governor’s Energy Advisor Dianne Nielson. Co-hosted by the Hinckley Institute of Politics.          
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. – Utah Museum of Fine Arts Auditorium

January 21^st to February 12^th – National Vote – Choose Your Future: Vote for a Solution – an opportunity for students and citizens from all over the nation to join together and vote on five priorities for action. The campus and citizen endorsed solutions will be presented to political leaders in Washington D.C., and state capitals across the nation. To vote, visit www.focusthenation.org/chooseyourfuture.php.  

Main Events

Wednesday, January 23^rd – Panel Discussion: Interfaith dialogue about Climate Change – with moderator Elaine Emmi (Quaker) and speakers Bishop Carolyn Tanner Irish (Episcopalian), Rabbi Tracee Rosen (Jewish), Vaughn Lovejoy (Buddhist), George Handley (LDS), and Imam Muhammad Shoeabe (Muslim).
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Olpin Union Panorama East Room

Week of January 28^th – Teach-in at the U of U – voluntary faculty participation linking course content to global climate change and initiating class discussion. See who the faculty are at www.sustainability.utah.edu/focus.htm.

Wednesday, January 30^th – Focus the Nation 2% Solution Webcast – join Stanford University climate scientist, Stephen Schneider, sustainability expert Hunter Lovins, and green jobs pioneer Van Jones for a discussion of global warming solutions. Bring your cell phone for text message polling during the webcast!
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. – University of Utah Olpin Union Theater

Associated Events**

**These events have been organized by other university departments or local non-profit organizations and are related to climate change and solutions.  

Tuesday, January 15^th – Stegner Cemter Greenbag Lecture – Sustainability in Building and Design – Angela Dean, AMD Architecture.
12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. – S.J. Quinney College of Law, room 106       

Thursday, January 17^th – When Deserts and Mountains Collide – Snow in the West: Implications for Global Warming and Our Economy – Dr. Thomas Painter.  Utah Museum of Natural History: The Nature of Things lecture.
7:00 p.m. – The City Library, Main Auditorium

Thursday, January 17^th – Film Screening – What a Way to Go: Life at the End of Empire -hosted by Post Carbon Salt Lake.
6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – University of Utah Olpin Union Theater

Friday, January 18^th – Geography Department Colloquium lecture – A National Vision for Stabilizing Global Climate – Dr. Craig Forster, Interim Director, Office of Sustainability and Research Associate Professor of Architecture+Planning.
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Orson Spencer Hall (OSH), room 215

Saturday, January 19^th – Workshop on Permaculture Principles and Practice:  Hands-on solutions to Climate Change – Co-hosted by TreeUtah and the student group S.E.E.D.
9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – University of Utah Olpin Union Building 4^th floor, Panorama East room (note: registration required, see website for details)

Sunday, January 20^th – Film Screening: An Inconvenient Truth – with Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, Utah Clean Energy, and HEAL Utah staff leading a Q&A session.
6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. – Brewvies Cinema Pub, 677 S. 200 W., Salt Lake City (must be 21 to attend, screening is free).

Tuesday, January 22^nd – Stegner Center Greenbag Lecture – Sustainable Development and Management of Ski Resorts – Dr. Gian Zini.
12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. – S.J. Quinney College of Law, room 106      

January 28^th – Global Warming and The Coming Energy Shortfall: Interconnected Problems, Common Solutions? – Hosted by Post Carbon Salt Lake.
3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – University of Utah Olpin Union Theater

January 30^th – live radio interview with Dr. Marcia McNutt – Changing Climate and the Oceans (see below).
9:10 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – tune in at KCPW 88.3 and 105.3 FM  

January 30^th – Frontiers of Science Lecture:  Changing Climate: It’s all about the Oceans – Dr. Marcia McNutt, Monterey Bay Research Institute.
7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Aline Wilmot Skaggs Biology Building, room 220

For more information visit http://www.sustainability.utah.edu/newsandevents/ftncalendar.htm or contact  Lindsay Clark at the Office of Sustainability – lclark@sustainability.utah.edu – 801-585-9352.