Portland, OR — Declaring that “We stand a critical moment in human history”, a national educational initiative on global warming today launched the “Focus Awards”. The awards, conceived and managed by a team of students at

Middlebury College in Vermont, will honor individuals and organizations who have demonstrated exceptional leadership promoting clean energy technology, reducing carbon emissions, and raising awareness about global warming solutions.

“This student-driven project itself demonstrates the kind of leadership this country needs”, said Dr. Eban Goodstein, economics Professor at Lewis & Clark College, and director of Focus the Nation, the group hosting the awards. “Today’s young people have a truly heroic task ahead: they will need to cut global warming pollutants 10-20% per decade. And right now, all across the country, people and companies are stepping up to lay the foundation to make that future possible.”

The Focus Awards will recognize student, religious, and civic leaders, as well as politicians, businesses, and media organizations. Nominations began on Earth Day 2007, at focusthenation.org/awards, and finalists will be announced on July 4^th. Following an online vote, winners will be announced in September.

Focus the Nation, the hosting organization, is coordinating a national teach-in on “Global Warming Solutions for .” The events will culminate January 31, 2008, in the form of national symposia held simultaneously at over a thousand colleges, universities, K-12 schools, places of worship, civic organizations and businesses across the country. To learn more, please visit www.focusthenation.org.

Additional sponsors of the Focus Awards include the Association for Sustainability in Higher Education, the Earth Day Network, Clif Bar, Stonyfield Farm, and Native Energy.

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