This initiative draws on both technology and face-to-face connections to bring people of all ages together to raise awareness about, and create advocacy around, the environmental issue of global warming.

A key strategy is the use of ICTs to assist educators in planning symposia and other events to energise children and youth for earth-friendly change. On January 31 2008, students nationwide are expected to participate in workshops and panels in which they brainstorm about global warming solutions. Educators seeking to learn about the "Teach-In Model" designed to guide these efforts may visit a dedicated page on the Focus the Nation website, where a sample agenda is provided for those seeking to engage faculty members, students, staff, and community members as teach-in presenters. Visitors to this page may download a guidance document, tailor it to their campus, and plan educational events such as showing a movie and having a discussion - or craft a more engaging, campus-wide teach-in. Organisers indicate that many schools participating in Focus the Nation are expected to bring in outside speakers as keynoters; however, they urged teachers to involve their own faculty by, for example, speaking for 10 minutes about topics related to global warming from the perspective of their discipline (e.g., science or history).

Mobilising people to use their voice for environmental advocacy is also a central Focus the Nation strategy. As part of "Green Democracy: Campus to Congress", citizens are asked to tell top decision-makers in the country about solutions - for example, by inviting US senator and congressperson to engage in person, or to talk with a student audience via a video-chat. Focus the Nation is working with leaders in the House of Representatives to make this happen, in conjunction with their efforts to "green the congress". The hope is that this face-to-face, intergenerational dialogue will move the United States to confront the challenge of global warming in a way that is fair, responsible, and sustainable.

Along these lines, Focus the Nation is using ICTs to involve those living in the United States by Vote on the top five solutions to global warming (proposed solutions range from a coal moratorium, to large scale renewables investment, to initiatives to strengthen forests for carbon storage). Visitors to the Choose Your Future section of the Focus the Nation website may vote, and also engage in activism about, as organisers put it, "how to achieve what science and justice demand. The week leading up to January 31st, you vote, and your Focus team delivers the results to your congressional office. Every political leader in the country will hear your voice. Join the discussion today!"

2% Solution is a national, interactive webcast ("The 2% Solution" title comes from the goal of cutting 2% of global warming pollution per year for the next decade and beyond), airing live the evening of January 30 2008. It features actor and clean energy advocate Edward Norton, Stanford University climate scientist Stephen Schneider, sustainability expert Hunter Lovins, and green jobs pioneer Van Jones. Organisers urged those planning teach-ins to show the webcast as a launch, and to screen it at a high school, faith group meeting, civic organisation gathering, or even a house party. Focus the Nation also suggested that citizens invite their congressperson to attend the event via a SightSpeed video dialogue. An online Discussion Guide for the 2% Solution provides ideas for facilitating conversation following the show. ICTs are here being used in an effort to move those living in the US beyond fatalism, toward a determination to face up to the challenge of global warming.

The use of awards and recognition is an approach for supporting the visions of youth climate leaders, and is connected with the January event(s). For instance, college students win one of three US$10,000 summer scholarships through Project Slingshot. High school and middle school students are invited to enter Urban ReVision's Ecoliteracy Poster Contest. And all are encouraged to test their design and video skills through the "FaceIt competitions".

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To find out more about Focus the Nation events, and to find out what is happening in your area, click here. (A page with another map will open; those who click on a specific part of the map will find that a page will open with a list of events. If one clicks on a particular event, another page will open with details and contact information.) Focus the Nation events are free and open to the public.

Focus the Nation is a project of the Green House Network, and is directed by Dr. Eban Goodstein, Economics Professor at Lewis and Clark College.