VC joins global warming fight via “2 Percent Solution” film

By Robert Garcia

VCNC reporter

Focus the Nation premiered its film, “The 2% Solution,” Wednesday, Jan. 30, on college campuses nationwide, including Ventura College. Students gathered Wednesday night in the cafeteria to watch the webcast screening. “The 2% Solution” states that if each nation cuts its emissions by 2% each year for the next 40 years, significant progress will be made in the effort to stop global warming. 

The organization was created18 months ago, and on Jan. 31, more than a million college students nationwide collaborated on ideas to curb emission production in the United States.

The organization hasn’t had a problem in finding influential advocates to help spread the message. Backers include Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Democratic Florida Senator Bill Nelson, Academy Award-nominated actor Edward Norton and accredited professors such as Steven Schneider, a climate professor from Stanford, and Penelope Canan from the University of Central Florida.

Although the 2 percent solution seems simple, skeptics say the idea of cutting 2 percent each year for the next 40 years is unrealistic. But Schneider said that some years the United States may cut back 4 or 5 percent, some years maybe only 1 percent, but the main idea of the solution is to produce a 2 percent reduction average over 40 years, ultimately reducing production by 80 percent by 2050.

Supporters of the 2 percent solution all have different things to bring to the table.  Van Jones, president and founder of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, finds his motivation in fighting poverty.  He fears that the “have/have-not” theory will apply to the solution: Only those financially secure will be able to “weatherize” their communities, meaning making their homes, schools and businesses “earth friendly,” while the low-income population will be left out. Jones stresses that the government must include the low-income families first and begin weatherizing the entire nation. Weatherizing the nation will produce millions of jobs and these low-income families will be the first to fill these positions.

“Green pathways out of poverty,” Jones continually stressed in the broadcast.

Praween Dayananda, field coordinator of the National Wildlife Federation, finds his motivation in gathering young people all over the nation to come together and preserve their future and the future of their children. More than 470 campuses nationwide have already been affected and have begun talks of weatherizing their campuses; Arizona State University is the only one to actually begin renovations.

Supporters of the 2 percent solution claim it is the first nationally organized effort of its kinds to include people of all ages, ethnicities, and social statuses. More information is available at www.focusthenation.org. The broadcast of “The 2% Solution” can be seen at www.earthdaytv.net.