Kugler, chair of the Religious Studies Department, published an editorial that highlights his concerns for leaving future generations a livable planet. In addition to his role as professor, Kugler serves as the coordinator for Lewis & Clark’s participation in the National Teach-In on Global Warming, a day-long event involving tens of thousands of college students nationwide who engage with faculty and public leaders in dialogue about public policy solutions to stem the rise in the earth’s temperature.

He frames his argument through a biblical lens: “Jesus, a fairly sharp observer of human nature, argued that parents, when their children ask for bread, are unlikely to give stone instead (Matt 7:9). Tragically, Jesus’ confidence in us is in doubt. Although our children would ask for bread — a future free of the consequences of human-caused climate change — our actions so far have assured them only stone.”

Kugler teaches courses on Jewish and Christian origins, including courses on both the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and New Testament. His special area of research deals with the interface between the sociohistorical contexts of early Judaism and Christianity and the religions’ interpretation of their received texts and traditions. Kugler was named Professor of the Year by Lewis & Clark students in 2007.

The Oregonian Bread, not stone

US News (Washington, D.C.) The Future of Climate Change: How to Teach Children to Conserve

Lewis & Clark students have collected data for the Franklin lab every August since 2006 as part of the Environmental Service Project. Alum and 2006 Break Away trip leader Brian Erickson ‘06 said, “We returned to plots that were established 30-plus years previously and remeasured every five to 10 years to provide an ongoing image of forest dynamics over time. The students collected high-quality data, worked extremely hard, learned a lot, and had a good time in the process.”

New York Times (New York, NY) Environment Blamed in Western Tree Deaths

Seattle Times (Seattle, Wash.) Regional warming hurting NW forests, study says

BBC News (London, UK) Climate shift ‘killing US trees’

The National Teach-In takes place on February 5 and includes more than 700 colleges, universities, and faith and civic organizations around the country who will discuss the goal of cutting current carbon levels by 40 percent by 2020. This teach-in will include lectures, faculty and student symposia, theater performances, and active engagement with political leaders and their environmental policies.

Watch this video of Eban Goodstein and colleagues discussing the importance of youth involvement in the National Teach-In on Global Warming Solutions:

Inside Higher Ed (Portland, Ore.) Education or Advocacy? Engaging a Hotter World

The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) National “global warming teach-in” returns to Oregon

The Chronicle of Higher Education (Arlington, Va.) Professor Who Organized Climate-Change Project Plans Another Teach-In

Though less than one-half of the institutions met the September milestone for submitting reports on their greenhouse-gas emissions, Dautremont-Smith is confident that the data gathered from public reports will provide this environmental cause with a sufficient stepping stone: “Our sense of it is this is a long-term commitment, multi-decade for most schools, so we’re not going to fret about being behind a little on this particular deadline.”

See the progress Lewis & Clark is making toward its ACUPCC goals and learn about the institution’s greenhouse-gas report online.

Inside Higher Ed (Washington, D.C.) In Quest for Carbon Neutrality, Late out of the Gate

On July 5, Eban Goodstein, project director of Focus the Nation, will participate in the Rothbury Festival Think Tank project, Finding Energy Independence, an issues-based event that runs in conjunction with the famous music festival. While Goodstein is at the festival he will also pick up an “e-achievement” award from etown, an NPR radio program featuring music and people making a difference in the world.

Goodstein, project director of Focus the Nation, and Chungin Chung, communications director of Focus the Nation, won the e-chievement award from etown.org, an award that highlights individuals who strive to make a difference within their communities and beyond. In July, Goodstein will be honored in July on etown’s live national radio show from the Rothbury Festival, where he will participate in a think tank on global warming solutions.

The Lake Oswego Review (Lake Oswego, Ore.) Earth Day confronted by a warming earth

The New York Times (New York, N.Y.) Well, doctor, I have this recycling problem

Time (Washington, D.C.) Changing the climate on campus

MSNBC (Portland, Ore.) Hundreds of profs hold green ‘teach-in’ for environmental action

The Chronicle of Higher Education (Washington, D.C.) Campuses nationwide take creative approaches to climate-change event

The Christian Science Monitor (Boston, Mass.) Nationwide ‘teach-in’ for climate change

InsideHigherEd.com (Washington, D.C.) Global warming ‘teach-In’