On August 18 and 19, 2008, several Levermore Global Scholars participated in a community service event that focused on environmental conservation. Partaking in manual labor while learning about lack of affordable housing and environmental friendliness, LGS Scholars helped the Habitat for Humanity at their construction site in Roslyn. After learning about Habitat for Humanity’s work on Long Island and about further community service opportunities with the organization, LGS scholars then visited the Water Pollution Control Center in Wantagh. This community service event raised awareness about the importance of eliminating wasteful water and electricity uses and set the theme of environmental justice for the rest of the academic year.
Community Service Day with the Habitat for Humanity
My first experience with the Levermore Global Scholars program was going on a community service trip to the Habitat for Humanity’s construction site. We left Adelphi University campus around 9:30am and were briefed on what the day would entail. Our first objective was to go to Roslyn, New York, and help the Habitat for Humanity build a 100% green house. When we arrived, Thomas Baccarella - the construction manager, explained that the house that we would help build is constructed solely with the community service volunteers’ efforts. These volunteers have been retired construction workers, college sororities and fraternities, and even retired company chief executives. While there, we met a retired couple that volunteered at the site three times a week.
First, we learned about how it is possible to cut electricity and gas costs throughout the year. One way to do so is by installing solar panels, which we were able to see after climbing on the roof! We also learned about other techniques that help make the house environmentally friendly. For instance, one can cover the inside of the roof with aluminum foil and fill house walls and the roof with construction foam. The aluminum foil that covers the inside of the roof allows the house to maintain a moderate temperature during the summer by reflecting the heat from the roof away from the house, thus preventing it from spreading to the lower level. During the winter, on the other hand, the aluminum foil and the foam prevent the heat from escaping the house and keeping its inhabitants warm.
After learning these tricks, we decided to get our hands dirty and help the construction continue. Our main task was to break rocks for rubble and pile the rubble in the basement. Some scholars helped mix concrete and carry it downstairs. Although these tasks seemed to be minute, they were physically draining. Once our manual work was completed, we had an opportunity to pick at Mr. Baccarella’s brains on the various aspects of the organization. We learned that the concept behind the Habitat for Humanity is “barn-raising,” where a community would get together to help a family build an affordable house, and the family would then join the community to help build another family’s house. These families are by no means “poor,” but pertain to the middle class and working class. Habitat for Humanity helps people who would not have been able to afford a house otherwise. Also, we learned that in order to be able to move into the house, the homeowners are responsible for all of the costs associated with the construction of the house and are required to put in at least 500 hours of manual labor.
After we finished our conversation with Mr. Baccarella, we headed to Adelphi University for a brief lunch break and then continued with the second part of the day – visiting the Wantagh Water Treatment Center.
Written by John Campana
Edited by Yana Kusayeva
Visiting the Water Treatment Plant…
Water, water everywhere, with less and less to drink. Just like money, water does not grow on trees. It is a valuable resource that is diminishing at an alarming rate. Industrial and agricultural uses of water are two of the top three contributors of water consumption, along with drinking water for survival. Everyday water is continually used for millions of other jobs, including washing cars and taking showers. While cleanliness, agricultural production, and industrialization are all important for the continued survival of mankind, we ultimately need clean water to drink.
Ninety percent of our bodies consist of water; so when we drink contaminated or dirty water from a tainted source, our bodies absorb harmful chemicals and elements. Water becomes contaminated from multiple sources as pollution from unregulated industrialization and public waste management increases. Our tour guide at the Wantagh Water Treatment Plant gave us a lesson on how this center manages Long Island’s waste, cleaning the water of harmful elements, such as chemicals, sludge, and sewage. The process is very complicated, consisting of the removal of solids down to the atomic level with the help of micro-bacteria. We had the opportunity to tour the water treatment plant, visiting the many smelly stations where different stages of the cleaning process took place. We learned that in the end, treated water is released through a huge pipe into the Atlantic Ocean miles from the shore, and the sludge is taken to Pennsylvania.
This trip was truly an eye opener. We were introduced to the process of waste management, but more importantly, we addressed the issue of water scarcity. Thanks to this trip we now know the importance of protecting natural sources of drinking water and cleaning contaminated water. The trip also inspired LGS to start an awareness raising Water Initiative, which also addresses how drinking from plastic bottles not only contributes to environmental pollution, but discourages the public sector from investing in public water works. Furthermore, the initiative raises awareness about how bottled water is sometimes no healthier than tap.
I enjoyed the trip as I toured every room with our guide, unscathed by the atrocious odors and ghastly looking slime floating on the surface of the water! Our tour guide successfully tied the topics of water conservation and waste management into the survival of the human race. Professor Swartz also led a discussion after the tour about the historical use of water. We discussed how water was, is, and should be used, and even debated on how to change current policies. After a full day of working and walking, you would expect a room of sleepy students, but Professor Swartz kept everyone engaged in the discussion, allowing each of us to voice our opinions on what we, as informed world citizens, could do to spread the word about the water crisis. It is my hope that Levermore Global Scholars spread the word about this issue and inspire change, one drop at a time.
Written by Matthew Sanfilippo
Edited by Yana Kusayeva
Contact
Click here (PDF 148KB) to download the flier about the Levermore Global Scholars Program. For more information, please contact:
Levermore Global Scholars Program
p - 516.877.4183
f - 516.237.8522
e - levermorescholars@adelphi.edu
This page last modified on November 13, 2008.
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