UT and 1,000 other campuses nationwide will participate in an all-day teach-in dubbed Focus the Nation on Jan. 31 to discuss the effects and issues of global warming.

Throughout the day, UT faculty will be hosting a variety of panel discussions. The times, speakers and topics are:

• 9:40
  
  • Gregory Button, Anthropology
    • Current impact of climate change on the coastal people of Alaska
  • Joanne Logan, Environmental and Soil Science
    • Global Warming Solutions in the Ag Sector
  • Mark DeKay, Architecture
    • Integral Sustainable Design
• 11:10
  
  • Ken Orvis, Geography
    • "Physics, Science, and Society: The Challenge of Global Climate Change."
  • Anita Drever, Geography
    • "Forced Migration and Climate Change: Issues to Consider Here in the United States"
  • David Anderson, Anthropology
    • "Climate Change and Cultural Dynamics: Lessons from the Past for the Future."
• 12:40
  
  • John Nolt, Philosophy
    • Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the domination of Posterity.
  • William Park, Agricultural Economics
    • Market-based policies as means for reducing GHGs
  • Adam Taylor, Forest Products Extension Specialist
    • Forest and Wood products as Energy Sources
• 2:10
  
  • Community leaders will speak on local action that can be taken to reduce impacts of global warming
• 3:40
  
  • Edward Jepson, Political Science
    • Land Use Regulations and Code Instruments as means to energy consumption and emissions
  • Mary English, Institute for a Sustainable and Secure Environment
  • David Irick, Mechanical Engineering
    • Role Alternative Fuels and Hybrids in Reducing Transportations Impact on Global Warming

All panel discussions will take place in the University Center auditorium. If you are unable to make it to a discussion, the Focus the Nation Web site will have live webcasts of the presentations.

While UT's Focus the Nation group had hoped to focus more on local issues, it was unable to find enough speakers, Joanne Logan, associate professor in Biosystems Engineering and Soil Systems, said. Therefore, they interspersed the panel discussions with more national topics.

"We have an expo fair that's going to focus more on local solutions," she said. Check the UT Focus the Nation Web site for updates on the date and time of the event. She said in general, the best solution is simply being an active participant.

"The whole idea of global warming solutions is that every little bit really does count," Logan said. "A lot of people think they are kind of helpless...but if every person does a little bit down the road it makes a big difference."

Students are especially encouraged to attend the panel discussions and to participate in the Residence Hall Light Bulb Exchange event taking place from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in all residence halls on Jan. 31. Students can exchange their standard incandescent light bulbs for low-energy fluorescent ones at no cost.

In 2007 1,368 light bulbs were exchanged, saving over $3,250 per semester and offsetting over 93,000 pounds of emissions.

"Students can have a huge voice just by making their campuses more environmentally friendly," Logan said.