The Battalion
Xhe Batta
OPINION
Wednesday, April 4,1990
Opinion Page Editor ' Ellen Hobbs 845-a
Only changing buying habits can save environment
When the Exxon Valdez oil spill
occurred, thousands of people cut up
their Exxon credit cards and returned
them to the company. People began
ref using to buy Exxon gasoline and
vented a lot of anger at the corpoi ation.
Many felt that Exxon should be
prosecuted and persecuted for their
role in the accident.
This anger is misplaced and
ineffective. Blaming large polluting
corporations (be they chemical, oil,
automobile, nuclear or whatever) and
trying to control them by regulation will
never work by itself. Those who think
that way misunderstand the basic
structure of a democratic capitalist-
consumer society: Every time the
Jeff
Farmer
Columnist
consumer buys a product, she or he
casts a dollar vote for every process that
goes into its production. The
conglomerate of oil companies in
charge of the cleanup (which included
other companies besides Exxon) failed
miserably to fulfill their promises; this is
Birth control education
can prevent pregnancies
According to t he Newsletter for
Human Sexuality Instruction, 85
percent of young people have had
sexual intercourse, usually with more
than one sexual partner, by the age of
20. Sexual activity of 17-19 year old
males has increased by 15 percent in the
last 10 years. One result of this activity
has been nearly one million unplanned
pregnancies a year since 1979.
But could these pregnancies have
been prevented? Yes! Studies show that
the more young people know about
birth control, the less likely they are to
have unwanted pregnancies. Many
f actors should be considered when
choosing a method of contraception:
effectiveness, frequency of intercourse,
proper use and convenience, motivation
and beliefs.
Methods of contraception can be
grouped in seven categories and can be
assigned a percentage which represents
its effectiveness index. The categories
are:
1. Natural methods include both
withdrawl — 50 percent ; and awareness
methods (calendar method — 79-87
percent; mucus method — 70-80
percent; and the temperature method
— 70-80 percent).
2. Chemical barrier methods, like
spermicidal jelly, cream, foam or
suppositories — 85-90 percent.
3. Mechanical barrier methods
include the diaphragm with spermacide
— 86-97 percent; cervical cap — 80-95
percent; sponge — 87-90 percent;
condom — 88-97 percent; and the
condom with spermicide — 90-97
percent.
4. Intrauterine devices (IUD) — 96-
98 percent.
5. The pill — 98-99 percent.
6. Permanent sterilization include
vasectomy (males) — 99-100 percent;
and tubal ligation (females) — 100
percent.
7. Abstinence— 100 percent.
Considering there is a 60 to 80
percent chance of getting pregnant
without using any contraception
method, withdrawl can hardly be
considered effective. Semen may leak
from the penis before ejaculation.
Awareness methods, or rhythm
method, uses no devices or medication.
It is based on avoiding intercourse
during ovulation. However, many
women ovulate on an irregular basis.
Hence, the high risk of pregnancy.
Spermicidal jelly, creams, foams or
suppositories ax e sold over the counter.
They work in the vagina killing sperm
cells. They must be used just before
intercourse. Extra applications are
needed if intercourse is r epeated.
The diaphragm, the cervical cap and
the sponge work by covering the cei'vix
Erika Gonzalez-Lima
Health Columnist
(opening of the uterus) thus blocking
the entrance of sperm, and killing
sperm by spermicidal creams. The
sponge is sold over the counter. A
physician must measure the woman to
select the proper size of diaphragm or
cap, and teach her how to use it .
properly.
Latex condoms are sold over the
counter and used on the erect penis to
catch semen. Some condoms with
spermicides kill sperm as well. If used
properly, condoms axe a reliable
method for birth control and prevent
sexually transmitted diseases.
Intrauterine devices (lUDs) must be
inserted by a physician. Several
manufactureis have withdrawn ILIDs
from the market due to potential health
risks.
Birth control pills are the most
effective of all reversible methods of
contraception. Women on the pill
experience less cramping and have
regular and lighter menstrual periods.
Howeveij pills may cause side effects in
some women such as weight gain, water
retention, nausea, vomiting, bleeding
between periods, headaches and
nervousness. Women who srrroke, or
with a history of heart disease, breast or
uterine cancer should not take the pill.
If women forget to take the pill for a
period of time, they must use backup
methods such as condoms with
spermacide.
Male sterilization is called vasectomy.
It ts a quick pr ocedure which involves
cutting the vas deferens in either side of
the scrotum. Female sterilization
involves ligation of the fallopian tubes.
There are three methods of tubal
ligation: laparotomy, minilaparotomy
and laparoscopy. Tubal ligation is the
most common type of birth control
among older women.
Abstinence is a 100 percent effective
method of birth control but it may not
be what you want to do. If you decide to
have sex, communicate effectively with
your sexual partner and choose the best
contraceptive method for you.
Although 66 percent of sexually active
youth use some form of contraceptive,
only 30 percent use it correctly. Consult
your physician, or visit or call the A.P.
Beutel Healt h Center (845-1511) if you
have questions about the risk and
effectiveness of contraceptives.
Have a question on a health issue? Write to the
Health Columnist, Dr. Erika Gonzalez-Lima, Student
Health Center, Texas A&M University, College Station,
TX 77845-1264. Letters will be answered anonymously
through this column in The Battalion. If an individual
reply is expected, please include your name, address and
telephone number.
a direct result of the demands of each
one of us for cheap gasoline, natural
gas, heating oil or electricity. It is very
convenient for us to blame some far
away bureaucrat in a company office,
but we as customers are paying his or
her salary.
If something is to be done about the
incredible damage we are doing to our
environment, government regulation
will be a necessary part of the solution;
but it is destined to fail, and fail badly, if
it is not accompanied by a change in
consumer spending habits. Corporate
CEO’s make their decisions based on
profit. Changes in legislation which are
not accompanied by changes in our
consumption w ill only cause compatries *
to attempt to get around the law (which
they will do). Deprive them of their
profit margins, on the other hand, and
they will change the way they
manufacture goods.
We buy the cosmetics that are applied
directly to the bodies of rabbits until
fifty percent of the sample are dead
from the toxic effects. We use chemical
fertilizer on our lawns (which then runs
off and pollutes the water supply). We
disconnect the pollution control devices
on our autos so that they will run better.
We all drive cars. We purchase
packaged processed foods. We throw
away things we could continue to use or
recycle. We eat far too much meat
(producing meat uses many more times
more resources than producing grain or
vegetables).
all are!). In my experience, guilt is an
essentially useless emotion. I prefer
responsibility instead. As long as we can
conveniently avoid responsibility, either
by denying the existence of the problem
or by blaming big corporations or
government, we will not take the
necessary steps to save our selves. Guilt
produces denial; responsibility
produces action.
We must take responsibility for
trying to destroy Exxon, we resolve
use less and less gasoline, evenifjiU
us a little. Responsibility means tha^
the same time we vote to regulate
cor potations that damage the land
and water, we also S LOP casting I
dollar votes for their products intU
marketplace. Our consumer addim,
cannot be solved by regulation any!
than drug addiction can. They
be solved by each one of us
'an ui |
l ust savin;
If something is to be done about
the incredible damage we are
doing to our environment,
government regulation will be a
necessary part of the solution; but
it is destined to fail, and fail badly,
if it is not accompanied by a
change in consumer spending
habits.
We must develop a new culturear,I
new notion of what is “cool.” \Vearin |
our old clothes as long as they area *
must replace the idea of staying l n
fashion. Buying products made by
people we know must become more
acceptable than buying from a big
business (which is very likely tube
involved in environmentally
irresponsible behavior). YVe mustmo-I
I'm not trying to make anyone feel
guilty (although guilty is exactly what we
raping, looting and destroying our own
planet. I'm tired of hearing how the
naughty Brazilians are destroying the
rain forest. I want to hear instead about
how U.S. companies are destroying our
forests. The companies that do this are
happy to sponsor PBS specials on the
Amazon — it deflects attention from
what we are doing here. How about
people who buy homes built on cleared
land? How about all of us who shop at
the new mall built on formerly
productive farmland? The issue is not
just our politics, it is our lifestyle.
Responsibility means that instead of
throwing our trash on the highwayarj
draining our oil onto the grass. Wei
eat lessjunk food, less processedfot
less meat and more locally grown
vegetables and grains. We muststop
trying to be i it h and start tryingtolij
well instead.
Environmental activism is useless
without environmental consciousness!
and lifestyle. YVe can stop feeling
helpless about the environment by
taking responsibility for our own
consumption anti taking charge of
changing our own way ol living.Sav
our planet is not the sole responsibiliiJ
of the politic ians and corporate baron
It is Ours.
Jeff Farmer is a graduate student it
mathematics.
Mail Call
Religious rantings scary
EDITOR:
1 am writing in response to Ms. Loretta Cortez’s letter
regarding Jeff Snodgrass and his “professional preaching”
on the steps of Rudder Tower. 1 was not only offended by
his so-called religious rantings, but I was scared. His hate
ful words, condemning all who wererr’t “living for Jesus
Christ” to eternal hell, corning straight from God directed
at the students of this University were evil. I actually called
him up later that day to ask Snodgrass yyhy he chose to pre
ach hate, condemnation and such, and his reply was that
“God had spoken to him” — and I’m Donald Duck. So, I
got a little perturbed and did some investigating of his so-
called church. And this is what I found out: The Marana-
tha Christian Church is a CULT, and this cult targets col
leges. As of 1989, according to Jim Luce, President of Fun
damentalists Anonymous, it is one of the most dangerous
cults in America today, forcing its members to cut them
selves off front their families and sometimes even transfer
ring young members to other cities so their parents can’t
track them down.
In fact, the cult Iras been banned from two campuses:
Kansas State University and the University of Waterloo in
Ontario, Canada. Christianity Today, a leading national re
ligious magazine, investigated this organization and said
that they “would not recommend this organization to anyo
ne.” Anyway, the point to be made is just because someone
says he or she is a “preacher” — and I use the term loosely
— does not give that person the right to preach hate in
God’s name. Personally, I feel God would be repulsed by
this supposed holy man arrd his religion of persecution,
manipulation and hate.
exrsts but would change and follow him if you knew,why!
don’t you just tell him so and ask him to show you who he
is?
Many are afraid of or too lazy to face all the changes
that would have to occur in their lives as a result of know |
ing he exists. Others do not believe in Cod because of all
the so-called “Christians” who go around living as cor
ruptly as everyone else (or worse). It's important that you!
don’t confuse Christianity with “Christians,” for if God is
real, the Bible says it would have bequmetter for them lii
have never known the truth, for they will be spat out of his
mouth. Sometimes the truth isn't easy to handle, but its |
still the truth.
Hector Ruiz ’92
Pro-choice not pro-abortion
Jennifer Beegle ‘91
Don’t waste time looking for proof
EDITOR.
1 am writing in response to all the recent editorials
dealing with whether or not God truly exists. Those of you
who are looking for “proof” of his existence are wasting
your time if you don't ask yourselves a more relevant ques
tion: If God truly exists, would you change your ways and
follow him? Many wdro are confronted with this question
respond with “I don’t know” or “I don’t want to talk about
it.” Others are honest and say they wouldn’t. If you are ei
ther of these, I suggest you not try to look for proof of his
existence, for one day you might find it and face damna
tion if you don’t repent. Those of you who aren't sure he
EDITOR:
On I hursday, April 15 Pro-Choice Aggies will sponsor
a r ally as part of a national day of campus pro-choice ac
tions. There have been many questions asked about what
pro-choice means. Pro-choice is not pro-abortion. Pro-
choice is the desire to have all individuals consciously make
their own decision on abor tions based on their own beliefs.
I he individual has two important decisions to make:
1. Is tfre fertilized egg a seperate entity?
2. Is the person willing to live with the consequences of
their decision?
It “no’ is the answer to either of these questions, then
abortion is not the proper course of action. Even if you are
against abortion that does not mean you are not pro-
choice. If you beleive that a person has the right to make
their own reproductive decision such as the use of a contra
ceptive, than you are pro-choice. Because of the recent
Webster decision, tire Texas legislature can now make
those personal choices for vou. Please show your support
for freedom at the rally or by voting.
John F. Welch ’92
President of Pro-Choice Aggies
Have an opinion? Express it!
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words m length. The editorial stafj re
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tain the authors intent. There is no guarantee that letters submitted willb
printed. Each letter must be signed and must include the classification, address ml
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or sent to Campus Mail Stop 1111.
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Lifestyles Editor
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Adventures In Cartooning
by Don Atkinson Jb