FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. COC-08-063
November 15, 2007
Seats Available for Environmental Presentation Seats are still available for a 7 p.m. Nov. 20 presentation entitled "The Environment: A Daily Decision" to be held in the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center on the College of the Canyons campus. COC professor Dr. Jia-Yi Cheng-Levine and Woodbury University writing professor Dr. Will McConnell will co-present about environmental protection, energy conservation and climate change brought about by global warming and what individuals can do about it. "Usually people tend to say, 'Oh, that's a scientist problem,' but it should be everybody's concern," said Cheng-Levine. In addition to her teaching duties, she also serves as chair of the college's Sustainable Development Committee. "We need a way to have people start to think about the fact that it's no longer just governmental and scientific expertise that can solve these problems. Instead it should be everyone's daily concern." Focusing on the various elements of being an environmentally responsible global citizen, the roughly hour long multi-media presentation will point out the environmental side-effects of many daily consumer choices and examine the consumption, disposal and recycling habits of Santa Clarita citizens -- while hoping to alleviate the community's conflicted feelings in wanting to do something environmentally positive, but being discouraged because of the sheer size of the problem. "I've had people actually come up to me and say things like 'the problem is just too big.' So I think a lot of people really want to do something, but many of us are not quite sure exactly what to do," McConnell said. "But while it's important to decide what we can do individually, we also need a more concerted communal effort, and I think that's what events like this give." The annual College of the Canyons Scholarly Presentation is designed to showcase to the community the many varied interests, talents, academic scholarships and areas of research of the college's dedicated faculty, while providing a highly informative and entertaining series of events for community members to experience and enjoy. Immediately following the presentation the Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees will host a guest reception in the PAC theater lobby, where audience members will have the opportunity to meet and greet the presenters. For more information about the college's Nov. 20 Scholarly Presentation, please contact Shannon Muñoz at (661) 362-3737 or shannon.munoz@canyons.edu
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