OPINION
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2005
WWW.KANSAN.COM
IT JUST MAKES SENSE
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Recycling only small part of bigger conservation picture
Press
The closet underneath the stairs in my house currently houses a pile of chipboard about three feet high.
My roommates and I have earnestly been hoarding chipboard boxes for more than a month.
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STEPHANIE LOVETT slovett@kansan.com
Meanwhile, an overflow
ing carton of 20 plus plastic bottles sits next to its overflowing glass-holding cousin in our kitchen.
We should have taken the trip from our Tennessee Street apartment to the Wal-Mart recycling center weeks ago. But this situation doesn't bother us because we are filled with the heart-warming knowledge that while this trash may be overtaking some corners of our home, it won't be going to a landfill.
We recycle. And recycling is a good thing.
But how often do you think about the first two? Most likely, not often enough. And though you may not remember, the three R's represent a hierarchy — with reducing and reusing at the top.
Unfortunately, what my roommates and I too often forget is that recycling alone isn't enough. You've surely heard about the three R's: reduce, reuse and recycle.
"We actually see it as more valuable and important to reduce waste before we generate it," said Gary Bertram, environmental engineer for the EPA.
Recycling has increased. Twice as much trash was recycled in 2001 than in 1990. On the other hand, it is easy to forget about reducing and reusing potential waste because it is hard to measure, said Jeff Severin, director of The University of Kansas Environmental Stewardship Program.
Recycling provides tangible evidence of decreasing waste. Hence, why we all feel so good when we do it. But recycling is just a part of preventing waste from ending up in landfills.
"Recycling has value when it is part of a system of waste reduction." Severin said.
There are some environmentalists who are against recycling on the premise that its practice lulls people into thinking they are helping the environment when reducing waste is more important, Severin said. And recycling isn't solving the problem entirely.
In 2001, Americans generated more than 229 million tons of trash, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. That is about 4.4 pounds per person per day, up from 2.7 pounds in 1960. Meanwhile, the number of land-fills in the United States is decreasing, down from 8,000 in 1988 to 1,858 in 2001.
With that kind of waste generation, we need to pay closer attention to the sources of our
waste. This is especially true since even as recycling has increased, consumption has followed suit, said Mollie Mangerich, operations supervisor of Lawrence Waste Reduction and Recyclving.
If the waste situation isn't that bad, the worker looks
and reuse your waste, I've got a better bottom line — it will save you money.
Businesses, especially, are more efficient and save cash when they hire environmental consultants, said Bertram. The same goes for individuals. For example, reusing a coffee mug is cheaper than continually buying disposable cups.
Because containers and packaging make up about 32 percent of the waste in the United States, with food scraps claiming 11.4 percent, start with reducing what you buy.
Buy things you will need over time in bulk, such as detergent or your favorite cereal. Buy juice in concentrate form — it has less packaging. Don't buy disposable silverware and plates. Don't print everything when you research. Save URLs and documents through your e-mail account.
Decline a bag when you can carry your purchases without one.
Get off unwanted mailing lists. Go to http://www.dmaconsumers.org/offmailinglist.html for more information. In general, if all else is equal, choose products with less packaging. And if you have extra food, share it instead of trashing it.Next on the list is reusing. As college students, we are good at reusing anyway. We share music files and DVDs freely.
The same philosophy should be applied to furniture, appliances and clothes. You may think your ratty-looking dresser is of no use to anyone, but you would be wrong. Why not offer it to friends or list it on www.freecycle.org? Freecycle.org is a Web site that allows people to list free items they don't want for others to claim. Just navigate to Lawrence's group.
Reuse paper that has been printed on for scratch paper or list-making. Buy reusable containers, such as hand soap.
Waste reduction saves money and the environment. And unlike recycling, which can require trips to a recycling center, reducing and reusing waste products takes no time. All it requires is behavior modification.
Carry a durable water bottle instead of buying disposable ones. When you do get bags at grocery stores, select the kind you'll be most likely to reuse.
Lovetty is a Kansas City, Mo., senior in journalism and political science. She is a night editor for the Kansan.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Coulter's different opinion no cause for demand her silence
I find it very interesting, but not surprising, that Ray Pence, who was commenting about Ann Coulter's upcoming speech, was a little off target. Coulter is one of this country's leading examiners of American politics, both foreign and abroad.
Whether or not one agrees with her ideas should not deter students and free thinkers at this University from embracing the fact that this institution can have such a function.
It embraces very important notions of freedom the First Amendment seeks to establish: the freedom of speech and assembly. We, as students and faculty of a high profile liberal arts University, ought not lessen our degree of intellectual prowess by succumbing to pointless
partisan banter when we all can actually learn from another's differences.
However, on the partisan side, how is Ms. Coulter's occasional jab at liberals and their hypocrisy any different than Al Franken and his often slanderous and insulting shots at conservatives? Or filmmaker Michael Moore's activities for that matter? I see no difference.
Personally, I think it's about time that a prominent conservative voice will be exposed to this University.
The difference in conservative views and the atmosphere of this University will only render true American intellectual competition. I don't think that's so bad.
Hayes Thompson Junior Mission Hills
Free for All
Free for All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to omit comments. Standanders and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded. For more comments, on to www.kansan.com
I just left the Inbby by Jaybowl, and the music coming from Milton's is the worst noise I've ever heard in my life. I've never wanted to be deaf so badly before.
I can't wait 'till Thursday. I need a drink.
Call 864-0500
You know that you're a procrastinator when you sit down to study and doing the dishes sounds more appealing.
Even Missouri has better roads than Lawrence.
My friend just stole a booster seat from Paisano's.
or more comments, go to www.kansan.com.
Lawrence radio sucks. Wichita owns.
There's nothing like being drunk 13 days in a row.
To he who sits by himself, I deem thee Fatty No-Friend
How is Subway out of bread? All they make is sandwiches!
Thank you to Watkins for diagnosing me with allergies when I really had mono.
To Mr. Two-and-a-Half Hours, maybe a journey to the other side of the fence would make your third time a charm.
BEELER'S PERSPECTIVE
Nate Beeler/THE EXAMINER
CONDITIONS EXIST
Legislators whittle away time, money with stupid bills
Last week, legislator Algie Howell presented a bill to the Virginia House of Delegates proposing that anyone caught in public with his or her "below-waist undergarments" showing be fined up to $50. The House passed delegate Howell's House Bill No. 1981.
WHEATON ELKINS
wellkins@kansan.com
When I think of this particular piece of legislation, and then think of the legislative process in general, I develop a mental image of a well-oiled machine. Like a shiny, silver bullet train. Rolling down the tracks. That suddenly hits a penny on the rail, lurches violently into the air, screams over a trestlework — a line of twisting metal plummeting into a deep raviine and exploding in a fireball, raining diesel fuel and little pieces of Samsonite luggage onto drought-struck land.
I may have overdone that just a bit.
People who follow politics, and people in general, should be disappointed when an elected official devotes his time to underwear.
A Virginia delegate makes $17,640 per year. One applauds delegate Howell's passion to represent fellow citizens — he certainly isn't getting rich from it. But one also asks what, for $17,640, are thosecitizens getting?
Not much.
The Web site for the governor of Virginia, Mark Warner, displays a different view on his state's needs. The governor seems most interested in boosting "economic development in Virginia's rural communities" through the Virginia Works initiative, promoting healthy eating and exercise, providing the state's school system with the $525 million, it needs to reach its standards, and maintaining the state's recently lauded fiscal responsibility. Visible "below-waist undergarments" didn't appear to be a major concern.
And The Virginian-Pilot, the newspaper covering much of delegate Howell's district — including the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk and Virginia Beach — depicts a typical American community facing typical problems. Again, underpants aren't an issue.
So House Bill No. 1981 was a waste of time because delegate Howell actually thought up and wrote down the bill. Although just how much time that took is debatable.
Then the legislature debated and voted on the bill, and according to The Richmond Times-
Dispatch, lawyers quibbled over its constitutionality.
The American Civil Liberties Union even chimed in, denouncing the bill and pointing to our Constitution, which clearly protects us and our underwear from government intrusion.
This legislative silliness is by no means confined to Virginia — supposedly, in Kansas, you can't use a mule to hunt ducks — or to state assemblies in general.
The United States Congress knows how to waste time, too. In fact, a cursory review of the Congressional Record reveals that they're professional procrastinators.
My favorite example of this is a speech from last June. A representative, also from Virginia, addressed the House and glorified "the Nation's largest white oak tree," from Brunswick County, Virginia. He then lent his support to a bill aimed at making the oak tree the national tree.
"Long may the great Brunswick County white oak stand." he said.
A tree? Congress is talking about a tree?
Worse yet is the antiquated formality with which the House and Senate conduct business:
Senator Mumps: "Mr. Speaker, if I could have the floor?"
Speaker Measles: "The speaker recognizes the Honorable Mumps. The floor is yours."
Senator Mumps: "Before I begin, Mr. Speaker, if I could just commend your leadership of this hallowed chamber."
Speaker Measles: "Mr. Mumps, are you kissing me down where my below-waist undergarments are?"
Of course, not all politicians waste time and money. According to *The Virginian-Pilot*, a panel of Virginia senators unanimously rejected delegate Howell's bill. Which is a good thing.
Since then, Algie Howell has been roundly ridiculed. And I feel sorry for him, but not sorry enough to not write this column.
Besides, this column allows me to make an announcement: I, Wheaton Elkins, do hereby declare my candidacy for Congress. I promise to work hard and keep my hands off your underpants.
◆Elkins is a St. Joseph, Mo., senior in English.
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