Wheaton Wire

Issue date: 2/6/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Caitlin Libby

Brown paper bags and old cereal boxes appeared taped around campus last week to announce the date of Focus the Nation. The signs made of recycled products emphasized the idea behind the project, a nationwide teach-in to raise awareness about global warming.

Focus the Nation events, including a luncheon, lectures by Associate Professor of Philosophy Stephen Mathis and Assistant Professor of Physics Jason Goodman, and an info fair, took place at Wheaton on January 31 and February 1. Behind Wheaton's involvement in the project were Claire Anderson '09 and Political Science Professor Jeremiah Murphy.
Similar to An Inconvenient Truth, which was screened at Wheaton last year, Focus the Nation hopes to achieve nationwide education.

Anderson said that she hopes Focus the Nation will encourage community members to "change their energy habits a little bit."
"I have been overwhelmed with the support of the faculty and students here at Wheaton. So many people are already aware of the problem, and want to do something so they can be a part of the solution," she said. "I hope that Focus the Nation will be the beginning of an open dialog between everyone on campus about what we can do to lessen our impact on the problem, and maybe even start to find ways to really be a part of the solution."

Professor Murphy, who co-organized the event with Anderson, agreed that it made sense for Wheaton to take part.
"When I was approached by the Focus the Nation organizers, it was clear to me that students, faculty, and staff could develop the learning opportunity," Murphy explained.
Focus the Nation comes after Wheaton began making some small changes. Dining halls no longer offer Styrofoam takeout boxes, and energy efficient laundry machines were installed in residences last year. Furthermore, an SGA-sponsored petition to increase recycling on campus gathered over 500 signatures last semester.

"We aren't going to be able to change the world in two days, but we may be able to inspire some small changes. If we can do that I will consider the event a success," Anderson said.
In addition, the event was timed to draw voters' and candidates' attentions to global warming during yesterday's Super Tuesday primaries.

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