News Service

Community Invited to Participate in National Climate Change Event, Jan. 30 – Feb. 1

GCC Invites Community to Participate in National "Focus the Nation" Climate Change Event, Jan. 30 – Feb. 1

For three days, from Jan. 30 - Feb. 1, Glendale Community College, along with more than 1,200 other schools, colleges and universities across the U.S., will participate in a free, nationally-organized event designed to promote awareness of, education about, and critical focus on climate change solutions in America. "Focus the Nation on Climate Change: The Challenge and Opportunity Ahead" is a three-day event that is open to the public.

The community is invited to attend all event activities, most of which will be held in GCC's newly remodeled Student Union Building. Visit http://www.gccaz.edu/greenefforts to see a complete schedule of activities with details.

Visit the national "Focus the Nation" site at http://www.focusthenation.org/ for a broad overview of the goals of this exciting, nation-wide project.

Climate change experts say that we stand at an extremely crucial moment in human history. Within the next few years, we as a nation must make critical decisions regarding climate change, pollution and clean technology investments. These decisions will have far-reaching and irreversible impacts on our lives and those of our children and grandchildren.

Focus the Nation is a national "teach-in" on climate change solutions for America—creating a dialog at educational institutions, places of worship, civic groups and businesses to connect millions of students and citizens with the nation's decision-makers. The intent is to move America beyond fatalism to a determination to face up to this huge challenge to civilization as we know it.

The evening of Wed, Jan. 30, GCC will feature a national, interactive webcast titled "The 2% Solution" at 6 p.m. in SU-104. Stanford climate scientist Stephen Schneider, sustainability expert Hunter Lovins and green-jobs pioneer Van Jones will interact with viewers on ways to stop climate change. Discussion will follow the webcast.

On Thurs., Jan. 31, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., GCC will present a stellar line-up of guest speakers featuring professors, governmental decision makers, scientists, and business owners—all of whom have vital interests in and ideas about the solutions to climate change. Vendors with environmentally friendly products and services will also exhibit their products. That evening, at 6 p.m., a panel of experts and local officials will lead a discussion about the opportunities and challenges that climate change presents.

Fri., Feb. 1 features many additional activities, including speakers, a round table brown- bag luncheon discussion with college faculty and students, a showing of the movie "An Inconvenient Truth" and much more.

GCC is located at 6000 W. Olive Ave. in Glendale. All "Focus the Nation" events are free and open to the public, presented as a community service by the college. Ample public parking is also free.