On Feb. 5, a free national teach-in on global warming and climate change solutions was held at the du Bois Conference Center Ballroom from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For the first 100 days of the new presidential administration, the nationwide teach-in will inform more than one million Americans about these issues.

Eight booths were set up at the event addressing sustainability issues and offering other information on climate change and eco-friendly practices, including guides on how to go green and recycling habits. More than 30 presenters spoke at this all-day event, including a keynote address from President John D. Haeger about ethics, NAU’s involvement and changes in university curricula aimed to address climate change issues. 

Haeger said these changes will be important for students’ ability to gain employment in the future.

“The future is about green jobs and having students educated in science and technology,” Haeger said. “It will be different 10 years from now with a different curriculum.”

Haeger was then presented the 2009 National Teacher’s Climate Change plaque in honor of his commitment to addressing climate change issues.

Ryan Willis, a freshman sociology major who attended the teach-in, was optimistic about the steps being taken towards global warming but was concerned about why these steps were being taken so late.

“I think we’re taking the right steps collectively as a nation,” Willis said. “(But) I don’t think we’ll be able to arise out of (global warming).”

As the day proceeded, Brent Maupin, independent candidate for U.S. Congress, licensed engineer, architect and contractor spoke to the audience about what regular citizens can do. He said he was frustrated with the government and thinks Congress is taking the wrong steps toward sustainability.

“People who are hard-working and have lost their jobs and homes try to be productive but cannot,” Maupin said. “We need a sustainable society but also a sustainable environment, and I don’t think Congress is doing it right.”

Diana Anderson of the Center for Sustainable Environments addressed the increasing magnitude and frequency of extreme weather conditions due to global warming. She presented examples of this through natural disasters and how we can help reduce their occurence.

“We can reduce emissions, protect streams and watersides, protect soils and use our water wisely,” Anderson said.

Senecca Allred, a freshman athletic training major, said she was attending for a class and knew quite a bit about environmentalism.

“I recycle, I conserve energy, I drive a fuel-efficient car,” Allred said. “I think (the speakers) did a good job overall (but) they could have cited better and been more knowledgeable.”

Willis, who had done much research on the topic for his paper “Get Involved!” which was published on the NAU Web site, said he was less than impressed with the information laid out by each speaker.

“I really think that the speakers have been too biased and opinionated rather than factitious like they should be,” Willis said. “They lost the audience overtly.”

For more information about the national teach-in, visit http://nationalteachin.org.

Willis’ essay can be found at http://www.cefns.nau.edu/Projects/NTI/GetInvolved.shtml.