Focus the Nation

On Thursday I attended a presentation by Beth Nagusky titled “Global Warming- The Clock is Ticking”. The speakers at this event included Andrea Freed, UMF President Kalikow, and Representative Tom Saviello. From this presentation I learned that the U.S. produces 5.47 billion metric tons of carbon emissions, which is much higher than any other country. I also learned that the U.S. makes up only five percent of the world’s population, but creates twenty-five percent of the world’s carbon emissions. Nagusky also stated that nine of the hottest years on record have occurred in the past ten years.

After attending the Focus the Nation presentation, I believe this information on global warming is extremely important to teach our students. In the subject of health, students will discuss what steps they can take to help the environment. There are so many small things we can all do to reverse the affect of climate change including driving a vehicle that gets 25 miles/gallon or better, using energy efficient appliances, or fixing any drafts around the house. Once students understand the importance of making these small changes, they can pass the information on to their parents who are more capable of making the changes. Global warming is a topic that we will be talking to students about for years to come because it is not going to end overnight.