National Initiatives
FOCUS THE NATION
Global Warming Solutions for America
Focus the Nation is a national global warming educational initiative, which is coordinating teams of faculty, students and staff at over a thousand colleges and universities and high schools in the United States to participate in a nationwide, nonpartisan discussion on the theme of “Global Warming Solutions for America." The project also includes the participation of religious, civic and business organizations, and will culminate on January 31, 2008, in a one-day symposium to be held
simultaneously on campuses across the country. Focus the Nation will be a catalyzing event that can help turn the national conversation about global warming from fatalism to constructive engagement with the challenge of our generation.
Maricopa Community Colleges’ Global sustainability initiative is partnering with the Focus the Nation program. The presidents of Chandler Gilbert Community College and Mesa Community College have endorsed this event. Students today face many important social, economic, and security issues. Global warming however, is unique, in that if we are to reduce the risk of large-scale, irreversible, world-wide damages, then ambitious—and potentially costly—policy solutions must be undertaken within a very compressed time frame. A satellite study of the Greenland ice cap shows that it is melting far faster than scientists had feared, twice as much ice is going into the sea as it was five years ago. The implications for rising sea levels and climate change could be dramatic. In order to address such issues on climate change there are going to be presentations, bio-fuel demonstrations, involvement of student groups and poster sessions to educate our students on global warming and climate change issues.
AASHE Conference
American Association for the Study of Higher Education
- Presentation of Maricopa’s initiative on Global Sustainability on October 5, 2006.
- Maricopans from various colleges attended
the conference. - Sustainability council conference calls at a
national level.
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and the United Nations Resolution
- The United Nations has declared a Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014
- Education for a Sustainable Society “enables people to develop the knowledge, values and skills to
particiopate in decisions..., that will improve the quality of life now without
damaging the planet for the future.” - AACC has adopted the UN resolutions for global sustainability.
- Maricopa has taken a leadership initiative on global sustainability at the AACC annual convention with presentations to the general audience and to the executives of the 17 affiliated councils.
- Maricopa faculty are participating in the AACC Global Sustainability Education Consortium developing a website for the AACC sustainability page.
