By Jennifer Evans
Madison Magazine
Special To Channel 3000

MADISON, Wis. -- On Thursday, Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists and business leaders introduced local and national solutions for climate change to students and members of the Madison community at UW-Madison.

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The day-long activities marked the final day of Focus the Nation, a two-day nationwide teach-in on climate change uniting more than 1,600 college and university campuses across all 50 states.

"We live in an incredibly unique and defining moment in all of human history," said Jon Foley, director of UW-Madison's Center for Sustainability and Global Environment, as he addressed more than 200 audience members. "What you do today will affect our environment, our climate for thousands of years."

Cieslewicz introduced several city solutions he hopes will help Madison meet the "100K Clean Energy Challenge," a plan to reduce citywide emissions of carbon dioxide by 100,000 tons by 2011. As part of this plan, city government officials will reduce their "carbon footprint" by 25 percent, or 15,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

To decrease Madison's carbon dioxide emissions, the mayor is working increase the energy efficiency of buildings, increase the use of biofuels in city vehicles and decrease Madison's dependency on local coal plants.

The mayor stressed even small city projects, such as the recent replacement of city traffic lights with LED lights, can make a big difference to the environment and save taxpayers money.

"(Replacing stoplights with LED lights) saves over 20,250 tons of CO2 per year, which is the equivalent of taking 442 cars off the road," Cieslewicz said. "But it also saves more than a quarter-million dollars a year."

According to the Cieslewicz, plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions in Madison will also mean improvements to the already popular Madison bike trails to promote commuting to work by foot or bike.

"The best environmental act any of us can do is to make our home the city," Cieslewicz said. "If you're into public policy, the best thing you can do for the environment is to create public policies that make cities good and make them magnets where people want to live and raise families."

The Focus the Nation teach-in drew in local UW-Madison experts to discuss topics spanning from the effects of global warming on soil, water and plants to businesses and global health. Although the presentations informed audience members on the severity of global warming they also provided tips on how to reduce energy-use through small changes in lifestyle such as reducing consumption, purchasing foods locally and educating others on ways to contribute to slowing global climate change.

"I'm worried about global warming," said Alex Beyer, one of a small group of Middleton High School students attending the Focus the Nation teach-in. "I want to learn about ways to spread the word about global warming without sounding presumptuous."

"The environment is a huge issue, especially with the (presidential) election coming up," said Ryan Hanke, head organizer of UW-Madison's Focus the Nation events. "The point of Focus the Nation is to get politicians to focus on these issues."

The Focus the Nation events concluded with a political roundtable discussion involving Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison and Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona.

"The US represents 4 percent of the world population and emits 25 percent of greenhouse gas -- that's the bad news," said Nino Amato, a local member of the National Advisory Board for Focus the Nation. "The good news is this is a presidential election year, and in a presidential election year it is critically important that we all, at a grass-roots level nationwide, hold the candidates accountable."