Professors discuss nature
myths
By Jeff Cantwell
Staff
Writer
Recycling newspapers save trees. There isn't enough
landfill space left in the United States. Organic foods are the safest.
Environmental concerns have grown steadily through
the years, breeding a wealth of environmental myths. But in this information
age, how can one decipher myth from fact?
Stephen Lovejoy, a professor in the School of Agriculture,
said most environmental myths are just that, myth, and only contain
a piece of the truth.
Lovejoy, who presents lectures about these myths
and the truths behind them, said one example of a myth regards the safety
of organic foods.
"The logic is that organic food doesn't have man-made
pesticides, which is true in theory," said Lovejoy. "But some organic
foods have higher levels of carcinogens. The risk either way is so low
that it's nearly pointless."
On a larger scale, beyond food choice, the mass
production of waste by the United States has led to the myth that our
country is running out of space for landfills.
Some states such as New Jersey have no more room
for landfills and ship their trash to states such as Indiana, which
has more open land.
But Lovejoy is confident that the United States
has the land to handle all the waste.
"Over 1,000 years the trash we produce is one-tenth
of one percent of the land space," said Lovejoy.
John Dunning, a professor in the School of Agriculture,
agrees with Lovejoy's assessment of land in the United States, but said
that a ton of land does not exactly mean there is enough room for landfills.
"No one wants to live next to a landfill," said
Dunning. "Go south along the Wabash; landfills can be put anywhere,
but try getting the permit."
The seemingly obvious solution to the landfill
issue is recycling.
The effectiveness of recycling has been a main
focus point of environmental protection for many years now, and with
the level of recycling worldwide rising, some states are even making
recycling mandatory.
Dunning said that recycling is a valuable thing
for Americans to be doing.
"We have established an American society where
we throw away everything," said Dunning. "Recycling aluminum cans saves
90 percent in electrical costs and significantly reduces waste."
But Dunning admits that the facts don't always
support recycling directly.
Statuesque oak trees and rain forests are not the
main source of pulp for newspaper print. Recycling newspapers will not
save them from destruction. Lovejoy said that the majority of pulp used
for making paper comes from tree farms.
"They are a crop like anything else, but they are
only harvested seven to nine years," said Lovejoy. "If we save newspaper,
they will just replace the trees with other crops."
On campus, the recycling effort has grown. There
are more bins available throughout campus, which makes the program more
accessible to everyone.
"I make use of them more because it's easier now,"
said Dunning. "The easier you make it to participate, the more they
will participate and the more effective the recycling program becomes."
But is the budget for recycling too large? Lovejoy
said that it might be better to put part of the budget towards projects
like planting more trees or creating buffer areas around rivers and
streams.
"We must make sure that we get the most environmental
impact for the cost," said Lovejoy. "Are we getting the most we can
for our money?"
But Dunning said the truth of it all lies with
those who choose between recycled products or new products.
"When people buy paper products and they look for
recycled paper, then the market goes toward the recycled paper," said
Dunning. "And buying recycled paper products is the best way to save
resources."
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