VSU Participates in Environmental Teach-In

VALDOSTA - Valdosta State University will participate in a nationwide environmental teach-in with Focus the Nation, a group committed to seeking global warming solutions for America, on Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 30-31.

The unprecedented educational initiative will involve more than a thousand colleges, universities, high schools, middle schools, businesses and other organizations, making it the largest teach-in ever held about environmental issues. Focus the Nation aims to engage students and citizens with political leaders, decision makers and local educators about global warming and clean energy solutions.

Local activities, organized and hosted by the VSU student organization, Students Against Violating The Environment (S.A.V.E.), will be held at Valdosta State University to coincide with the national event. A list of events/times can be found below. For more information about the nationwide teach-in or Focus the Nation visit www.focusthenation.org or the S.A.V.E. Web site at www.valdosta.edu/save .

Wednesday, January 30
8 p.m. Hugh C. Bailey Science Center 1011 (Auditorium)
"The 2% Solution" - Live, interactive web cast from the University of Central Florida. Join actor Edward Norton, Stanford University climate scientist Stephen Schneider, sustainability expert Hunter Lovins and green jobs pioneer Van Jones and youth climate leaders, for a discussion of global warming solutions. Audiences can weigh in with cell phone voting. The web cast will revolve around these questions: Can we as a nation get onto this path, and cut global warming pollution 2% a year for the next decade? If so, what would it take?

Thursday, January 31
VSU faculty will be talking with students about environmental issues and global climate change in their classes. Several faculty members have agreed to open their classes to other VSU students and employees for this day to reach a larger audience.
(* Presentations are open to everyone, on a first come, first seated basis.)

8 a.m. West Hall Room 104: Christine James “Logic and Spirituality in the Green Movements: Can They Be Connected?”

* 9:30 a.m. Hugh C. Bailey Science Center Room 1011: Ashley Rall, viewing of "An Inconvenient Truth"

* 9:30 a.m. Dewar College of Education Room 265: Green T. Waggener “Protecting the Environment, The Clean Plant: A Unique Japanese Model”

* 11:30 a.m. P.E. Complex Room 142: Green T. Waggener “Protecting the Environment,
The Clean Plant: A Unique Japanese Model”

12:30 p.m. Hugh C. Bailey Science Center Room 3009: Ashley Rall, viewing of “An Inconvenient Truth"

12:30 p.m. Fine Arts Building Room 235: Julie Bowland “Art and the Environment”

* 2 p.m. P.E. Complex Room 143: Green T. Waggener “Protecting the Environment, The Clean Plant: A Unique Japanese Model”

3:30 p.m. Nevins Hall Room 3041: Paul Vincent, viewing of "Be Prepared for Global Warming"

4:30 p.m. Nevins Hall Room 3041: Paul Vincent, viewing of "Be Prepared for Global Warming"

* 6 p.m. P.E. Mezz: Green T. Waggener “Protecting the Environment, The Clean Plant: A Unique Japanese Model”

Thursday, January 31 - Library Auditorium
10 a.m. Green Film Festival / S.A.V.E. Updates and Announcements
4 p.m. The Politics of Science, presented by Dr. Douglas Frink

Thursday, January 31 - University Center Theatre
7 p.m. The Philosophy and Religious Studies Department presents a panel of three professors addressing the topic of ecology, spirituality and world religions from their respective fields of knowledge.

“The Greening of Catholicism” - Presented by Dr. Carl Hand
“Nature and Spirituality: Inspired by the Work of Karen Warren and Vandana Shiva” - Presented by Dr. Christine James
“Mystics and Nature: Panentheism in Teilhard and Merton” - Presented by Dr. Cristóbal Serrán-Pagán