January 2008 Vol. 27. No. 1

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

Warm beds
Ask HICAP: Using Your Medicare drug plan in 2008
Financial Abuse
A1AA: F.U.N. Play Center gives grandparents a place to call their own
Global Warming

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Global Warming
HSU Focus the Nation set Jan. 30
by Sarah O’Leary

Are you tired of all the gloom and doom reports about global warming? Positive and creative solutions to climate change will be discussed at a national teach-in on Wednesday, Jan. 30 at Humboldt State University. The event is free and open to everyone.

This non-partisan and interdisciplinary event, called Focus the Nation, will engage faculty, students, community members, and political leaders in a dialog intended to change our outlook on climate change, and to move from an attitude of defeatism to one of opportunity. HSU is joining with more than 1,100 universities, colleges, secondary schools and places of worship across the United States to devote attention to a topic that many feel is emerging as the largest challenge of our time.

Panel discussions, keynote speakers and interactive workshops will address issues relating to climate change, and how we can transform our energy and economic future.

“Today’s college students are truly the greatest generation,” says Lewis & Clark professor of economics Dr. Eban Goodstein, author and project director for Focus The Nation. “No other generation has ever had to face this kind of civilizational challenge. And we as educators would be failing if we did not prepare them with the tools to meet this challenge.”

Session topics will include The Science of Global Warming, Psychological Impacts — Obstacles to Change, Climate and the Global South, Motivating Action, and much more — including hands-on workshops. Dell’Arte and Humboldt Circus performers will bring life to the ideas.

Registration opens at 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 30, in the Karshner Lounge on the HSU campus, and panel workshops begin at 9 a.m., continuing until 9 p.m. A keynote address, music, dancing and performance is at noon on the HSU Quad (or the Kate Buchanan in case of rain.)

The day’s events will also include 2% Solution, a National Video Webcast on Earth Day Network, produced by the National Wildlife Federation, shown at 5 p.m. in the Kate Buchanan Room.

“We have the opportunity right now to apply our human creativity and technology to change our energy future, and this is what we have to do to stabilize our climate,” said Jennifer Berman, director of Arcata’s Climate Action Project and Focus the Nation community coordinator.

Berman added that an important goal of Focus the Nation is to notify our elected officials that the American people care about this issue and to pressure them to pass aggressive climate legislation. All participants in Focus the Nation will be given an opportunity to vote on national priorities concerning our climate’s future. The votes will be presented to political representatives and 2008 presidential candidates.

“By participating in the democratic process each one of us has the power to strengthen our democracy,” Berman said.

Town Hall Meeting Jan. 31 Focus the Nation will continue on Thursday, Jan. 31, with a Town Hall Meeting at 7 p.m. in the Arcata city council chambers, and will be broadcast live on Access Ch. 10.

The Town Hall Meeting is an opportunity for the public to engage elected officials in discussions about local, state and national climate solutions. Political representatives will share the stage with students representing all political parties. Each of these panel members will state their climate policy priorities and respond to questions from the audience.

For more information and a detailed schedule of events, go to www.humboldt.edu/~ftn1.

Sarah O’Leary is an HSU student and member of the Focus The Nation team.