NEWS
from
Central Connecticut State University
Honored as a "Leadership Institution" by the
Association of American Colleges & Universities
Media contact: Peter Kilduff,
Director of University Relations
(860) 832-1791;
Kilduff@ccsu.edu
CCSU to host the country’s largest “Focus the
Nation” teach-in on global warming, January
29-31; public invited
NEW
BRITAIN -- January 24, 2008 -- Central
Connecticut State University will host the
country’s largest segment of the countrywide "Focus
the Nation" teach-in on global
warming. U.S. Congressmen John Larson and Chris
Murphy will join national, state, civic and
educational leaders as symposium speakers and
participants, as well as at other campus
activities being held from
January 29-31.
The event is open to
the public, and free parking is available in
CCSU’s Student Center Parking Garage on Ella
Grasso Boulevard.
“We
have only this planet to live on, and we need to
start taking better care of it,” states Dr.
Charles E. Button, CCSU
Assistant Professor
of Geography and Founder and Co-Chair of the
university’s Climate Action Coalition.
“The Symposium will feature prominent national
and state governmental, academic, and civic
leaders who are in positions to begin making
changes needed to -- quite literally -- sustain
human existence as we know it,” Dr. Button
notes.
“CCSU is one of over 1,500 colleges and
universities holding ‘Focus the Nation’
teach-ins across our country to interact with
these leaders. In an event bigger than Earth
Day was some 30 years ago, ‘Focus the Nation’
events will provide knowledge to people to help
move our society towards a sustainable
relationship with the source of all life:
Earth,” Button emphasizes.
Many experts and international panels attribute
global warming to escalating greenhouse gas
concentrations resulting from human activity. In
particular, it has been shown that coal-based
energy production, intense automobile use and
reliance on disposable products are major
culprits. . “Focus
the Nation” will turn attention to climate
change, building awareness and encouraging
business, civic and political leaders to address
global warming and initiate the solutions
needed.
“‘Focus the Nation’ partners such as CCSU are
committed to reducing global warming pollution
by practicing and advocating improving
production and energy efficiency, turning to
renewable energy, and pioneering innovative
global warming solutions. And now we must
encourage businesses and institutions to think
beyond the box, and strive to reducing their
footprint on the planet, while also gaining
strength in the marketplace,” Button says.
Speakers at the CCSU event will include:
Gina McCarthy,
Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of
Environmental Protection; Roger Smith,
Coordinator of the Connecticut Climate Coalition
Policy Panel; Marissa Cloutier, Biology and
Nutrition Instructor at the University of
Hartford; Mark Franklin, Consumer Services
Division Director, State Department of
Insurance; Keri Enright, State Program Director
of SmartPower; Christina Gerasimos
Billings-Elias, Presidential Candidate; Joel
Gordes, President, Environmental Energy
Solutions; John Mengacci, Undersecretary, Office
of Policy and Management; and Robert A. Maddox,
National Director of Utility & Retail Programs,
Sterling Planet
Further information is available from the CCSU
Climate Action Coalition website:
http://www.ccsu.edu/ccsuclimate/symposium.htm
Dr. Charles E. Button can be reached at CCSU at
(860) 832-2788 or by e-mail at
buttonche@ccsu.edu
Directions to CCSU
are at the University’s website:
http://www.ccsu.edu/visit.htm
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