Calhoun promotes environmental awareness

In a century, there’s a good chance that parts of Long Island and Manhattan will be underwater because of global warming, Joe Levine told students at Calhoun High School Tuesday morning. Levine, who co-authored the students’ biology textbook, was one of the many speakers invited to participate at the school’s Environmental Awareness Day.

The Calhoun Site-Based Committee began organizing Environmental Awareness Day at the end of last school year, assistant Principal Nicole Hollings said. Instead of a day of regularly scheduled classes, Calhoun students sat in on lectures from guest speakers and participated in activities to promote environmental awareness. “We’re taking a day out of the regular curriculum to explore human impact on our local and global communities,” Hollings said. A speaker from the Norman J. Levy Preserve and the Riverhead Foundation educated students as well.

A ceiling-high globe greeted students when they entered the gymnasium. The “Earth balloon” from the Nassau County Board of Cooperative Educational Services was used to educate students about the environment around the world. Ground was also broken outside the school, where construction of a greenhouse will soon begin. And students had the chance to buy a green ribbon for 50 cents, symbolizing a commitment to perform a green act, which will be posted on earthday.net as part of its “Billion Acts of Green” movement.

The main draw of the day, however, was Levine’s lecture. Aside from penning the students’ textbook, Levine was also involved in the making of “An Inconvenient Truth,” a documentary about former vice president Al Gore’s campaign to educate citizens about the threat of global warming. Levine’s assembly, which stretched over two class periods, stressed to students the fun side of science as well as the impact of climate change.

Levine, who has traveled the world to take part in biology and marine biology experiments, explained research to the students that supports the theory of climate change. Levine said human beings have had a huge impact on the environment. “Humans do it a lot more than other organisms and more quickly,” he said in regard to environmental change.