Teens team up to help
CRANBERRY TWP — Two township teenagers have teamed up to participate in a national contest that requires them to raise environmental awareness to help save the Arctic polar bears from extinction.
Brendan McKelvy and Anthony Pittavino, both 15, are one of 30 teams nationwide participating in Project Polar Bear, sponsored by Polar Bears International.
The group, based in Sebastopol, Calif., is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the worldwide conservation of the polar bear.
Brendan is the son of Jack and Rosalyne McKelvy and Anthony is the son of Stan and Jeanne Pittavino, all of Cranberry.
As part of Polar Bears International's Year of the Polar Bear, Project Polar Bear challenges teens to develop projects that will help reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and help save the polar bear from extinction.
Polar Bears International teamed up with communities in North America that have zoos housing polar bears, which includes the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium. There also was an a category for teens who live outside of those zoo-based regions, but who care about polar bears and wanted to be a part of the event.
The two Seneca Valley Intermediate High School students found out about the contest through school district honors biology teacher Jennifer McMurray, who was the team's adult leader.
McKelvy and Pittavino named their team Polar Bear Revolution.
The members of the four teams chosen as contest finalists will be awarded round-trip airfare to San Diego and two nights accommodations in San Diego to attend the awards ceremony in the spring. Each team will be recognized at a ceremony at the San Diego Zoo, and the winner will be announced.
The winning team will be awarded $300 per participant and a trip in 2009 to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, the polar bear capital of the world, to see the bears in the wild.
McKelvy and Pittavino developed a multifaceted plan targeting various age groups and created a logo and motto: "Power Down — It's The Solution!"
McKelvy and Pittavino's plan involves education and awareness.
On Friday, the teens traveled to the Cranberry Township North Boundary Waterpark for a "Swim with the Polar Bears."
That gave children ages 3 to 10 the opportunity to play games with conservation messages such as "Hit the Switch," light switch that is, and "Get the Light." Children also learned about the advantage of environmentally friendly compact florescent light bulbs.
The team's premise is that since habits are formed at an early age, children should be taught early to conserve energy.
A highlight of the project is an igloo made of nearly 200 recycled milk jugs donated in part by Marburger Farm Dairy and neighbors.
The Pittsburgh Zoo's polar bear mascot joined the event.
"It was a huge success," said Pittavino said of their day at the North Boundary Waterpark. "More than 250 children ages 3 to 10 participated in the games. There was also 1,006 people at the pool that day."
The primary facet of Polar Bear Revolution's campaign is the Neighborhood Power Down slogan with the CFL light bulb. The teens' goal is to distribute 1,000 CFL light bulbs to homeowners.
To kickoff this portion of the plan, the team distributed one CFL light bulb to government and legislative leaders knowing the influence they have in passing laws impacting the environment.
"Just one light bulb can reduce the carbon dioxide emission by about 732 pounds," said McKelvy. "If every resident in Cranberry Township replaced one light bulb with a CFL light bulb, it could reduce CO2 emissions by 10,332 tons."
