o PINION
Convenience vs. cleaner air
Drivers fear consequences of ERA mandate
W hat you are about
to read was a real
conversation.
There are no names so
the guilty (most car-dri
ving Americans) might
find security in their
anonymity.
“So, I see you got a
ride to work today. Where
is your baby?” person A asks as he
steps out of his car.
“Well, the poor thing is getting a
check-up right now. You know — just a
routine sort of thing,” person B replies as
he shyly waves to the driver of the car as
it pulls out of the parking lot.
What we have here is a classic case of
“el-carro-broko” deficiency syndrome,
otherwise known as the “my car is in
the shop, so I have to beg for rides all
day” syndrome.
Person B feels lost without a source of
transportation. He is trapped in the of
fice all day with no way to escape. He is
a prisoner of his own immobility. No
quick trip to the cleaner’s. No trying out
that new deli on the other side of town.
No, person B will be spending the
day in his office while person A will
spend the day basking in his mobility.
Person A is the reason carpool pro
grams can’t get off the ground. Person
A slaps public transportation in the
face. Person A is the American single
car driver.
We Americans love our cars. We
ooh and ahh over them. We buy their
food. We spend our Saturdays wash
ing them. We are even willing to go in
debt to fix them.
But, the sacrifices, whatever they
may be, are worth it because cars pro
vide us with the precious ability that we
are unwilling to give up: the ability to
change locations.
If we don’t like our
present location, our cars
provide a fast, conve
nient and dry way to find
a new environment.
Given the fact that
Americans love cars, and
more importantly, that
Americans love their
own cars, we can discern that the gov
ernment and the EPA have as much of a
chance of getting car drivers — especial
ly Texas drivers — to happily agree to
abide by the Clean Air Act programs as
Clinton has of getting re-elected.
Part of the Clean Air Act of 1991
that passed under President Bush re
quires cities whose air doesn’t meet
the federal standards to reduce
ground-level pollution by 1996, or face
the loss of $800 million in federal
transportation funds.
When the bill first passed, there were
all sorts of ideas to help Texas cities like
Houston and Dallas reduce their
ground-level pollution. Among these
were the employee trip reduction pro
gram and the much talked about auto
emissions testing program.
On Jan. 16, the Texas Senate,
backed by the fearless leadership of
George W. Bush, postponed the start
of the emissions testing program for 90
days. The program was scheduled to
begin on Jan. 2 as part of the vehicle
registration process, the rationale be
ing that maybe that big bad emissions
testing monster will just go away.
Why is the emissions test such a big
deal? Maybe the $23 cost of the test is
too much.
Gas stations have already started
selling a reformulated gasoline that con
tains more oxygen in it so the gasoline
burns cleaner. It costs about five cents
more a gallon — which translates into
about $100 annual increase for the av
erage driver’s gas budget. Nobody real
ly complained about that.
The emissions test bothers drivers
because there is an unspoken accusa
tion that something is wrong with
their car. No one wants to admit that
her car is emitting anything that may
or may not be polluting the ozone. No
one likes to admit it when he expels
gas either.
But regardless of our personal feel
ings, vehicle emissions are responsible
for approximately 17 percent of the hy
drocarbons, 25 percent of the nitrogen
oxides, 59 percent of the carbon
monoxide, 75 percent of the benzene
and 36 percent of the particulates in
our air, according to a Houston Chron
icle article.
The humor of the whole uproar lies
in the fact that most tune-ups include
an emissions test anyway.
The emissions test is merely check
ing to see if a car is burning gas in an
effective, efficient manner — which
translates into better performance and
gas mileage. No big deal, right?
Wrong. Car drivers aren’t upset
about the emissions test.
They are upset about what it stands
for. Person A is scared out of his wits
that one day he might have to carpool
or ride the bus to work.
Person A isn’t necessarily against en
vironmental action. He does his part.
He participates in his community’s recy
cling program.
Heck, he’ll even include glass and
newspapers in his recycling if you leave
his “baby” alone.
Jenny Magee is a junior English and
Journalism major
Jenny
Magee
Columnist
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EDITORIAL BOARD
Mark Smith
Editor in chief
Jay Robbins Heather Winch
Senior Managing Managing editor
editor for Business
Sterling Hayman
Opinion editor
Erin Hill
Asst, opinion editor
Use It Again
ASdV\ should adopt the new RHA
proposal to expand campus recycling efforts.
The Residence Hall Association has
proposed a bill that calls for expanding
the recycling program on the Texas
A&M campus. The University should
seriously consider this bill and pass it
immediately.
Texas A&M University needs
to take a more active role in
preserving the environ
ment, and implementing
this bill would be a step
in the right direction.
While it is true that
various dorms on campus
already participate in re
cycling efforts, the campus
is not consistent in its ef
forts. Each dorm has a dif
ferent recycling coordinator and
a different system to carry out the
process. The duplicated effort some
times results in waste, which defeats
the entire purpose for recycling.
For example, when students recy
cle newspapers, they should not mix
newsprint with regular white paper.
This contaminates the whole pur
pose, because the two types of paper
go through different recycling
processes. When this happens, the
two types of paper need to be sorted.
If it is not, the paper is thrown away.
resulting in more waste.
Not only would this bill eliminate
waste, but it also would save the Uni
versity a significant amount of mon
ey. Sixteen million pounds of
garbage are disposed of every year at
Texas A&M which costs the
University over $300,000.
An expanded recycling ef
fort would help decrease
the amount of money
currently being spent
for garbage disposal.
The student body
should make a greater
effort to recycle. The
Recycling Center on cam
pus is taking an active role
in preserving the environ
ment, but greater funds and
more manpower the program could
do even more.
The environmental issue has been
criticized in recent years, but it still
remains a vital issue.
Every step should be made in help
ing to preserve it and students at
A&M can be a part of this effort.
At an institution as large and as ad
vanced as A&M, it seems only fitting
that more effort be made to recycle
and preserve our environment.
JVIail
CALL
Student upset with
SBSLC coverage
I am a student that has been greatly
affected by the Southwestern Black
Student Leadership Conference in the
most positive way possible. I don’t un
derstand why the only feedback I re
ceived about the conference was nega
tive. Where was the information about
the dynamic speakers and workshop
presenters or the numerous praises the
executive staff and workers received.
The staff of this year’s conference de
served much praise for their hard work
and diligence. Why should all of the es
teem that goes along with SBSLC go to
waste because of a headline that doesn’t
represent the conference in its true light?
I understand gunshots on campus is
news worthy, but did it have to be relat
ed to one of the most positive experi
ence a collegiate student. Black or
White, could ever experience?
Mosadi Porter
Class of ’97
Cowboys out, but will
be back next year
This is in response to “Rowdy”
Robert Rodriguez’s on Jan. 18th attack
on the Cowboys. To being with, you
should realize that not all Cowboys fans
like owner Jerry Jones. Personally, I
wouldn’t throw water on him if he was
on fire! I agree that they Cowboys got
too much media coverage. But who do
you think hates it the most? The play
ers themselves were disgusted at their
reporter shadows.
And even you, “Rowdy” Robert, ad
mit that the fourth quarter no call was
bad. It would have changed the game.
Your rebuttal is that the 'Niners could
have easily scored again too — they
were “scoring at will.’’Actually, they
scored only seven points in the entire
second half “at will.”
Yes, Switzer coached absolutely stu
pid football just before half-time. And
calling a draw on third and 10 from the
San Fransisco 12 yardline in the first
half was moronic too. I have to believe
that Jimmy Johnson would have won
that game. Nevertheless, the Boys will
be back! I never thought I would be a
Charger fan.
Zach Estes
Class of ’96
Attack on Gingrich
about partisan politics
I would like to respond to Sterling
Hayman’s rambling diatribe about
what a mean, cruel individual House
Speaker Newt Gingrich is. Hayman
seems to strongly object to Newt’s
book deal since it first included a $4.5
million advance.
I was wondering why I have not read
any of his columns criticizing Senator
(and now Vice President) A1 Gore’s simi
lar book deal that has now generated
him revenues over $1 million. Seems to
me your real problem with Newt has
nothing to do with ethics, rather is has to
do with partisan politics.
Newt scares all liberals because he is
going to dismantle their New Deal and
Great Society bureaucracy.
It was liberals like you , who created a
welfare class that’s enslaved by the very
government subsidies you thought would
help them.
The Democrats had 40 years to vote
on term limits. I understand the bitter
ness about the November election re
sults, but at least you can find a substan
tive way to criticize the Speaker.
Buck up. it’s only the beginning. Re
publicans control the agenda.
Jim Staley
Class of ‘95
Math class dropped again
Required course manipulates first week of Spring classes
I ’ve never accused myself of
being a realist. Although I
do possess some of the re
deeming qualities of a realist,
I am by nature an idealist.
As an idealist, I find my
self chronically trapped in a
world of fantasy, a world
where I believe things will
turn out for the best.
Throughout the course of my two decades of existence on
this planet, fantasy has propelled me into action, thus
warping my decision making.
This warped decision making has been known to slap me
in the face in the past. I like to think of it as a 'poor decision-
subsequent self-reprimand’ cycle.
Friends and neighbors, the dreaded cycle crept up on me
again last week. A poor math student by trade, I found my
self dizzy with anxiety as I sat through my first and last quiz
of the semester in Math 141.
Math 141! Don’t laugh at me, please. I am poor with a capi
tal P in the field of mathematics.
Sure I can balance my checkbook, but that’s not too hard
when you don’t have any money.
Way back in ol’ army days (that was November when I
registered). Drew the Idealist figured he might as well get
Math 141, a required course, out of the way. After all, I’m
a junior; seeing as I would like to one day graduate, it
would probably be in my best interest to get the math mon
key off my back. '
Drew The Chronic Idealist was way off base in fantasiz
ing that he could handle Math 141 while taking a full load
(14 hours.).
Better judgment suggested I should postpone the class
until summer when I could balance it with Suntan 101 and
Girls 105.
Unfortunately better judgment is not one of my strong
points — not that girls are — and I went ahead and signed
up for the dreaded math class.
Wednesday Jan. 18: Off to another stellar start in the long
line of eventually less than stellar days, I arrived at my first
session of Math 141 approximately 20 minutes late. No clue
as to what was going on, I sat spellbound through the re
maining half hour of class.
Kicking myself for signing up for the class, I decided to
work extra hard to not only pass but to pass with flying col
ors. I was determined to go home that night and put in two
hours into Math 141.
I had homework, and by golly I was going to do it. Good
gosh all mighty was I setting myself up for a fall.
Some things happened between Wednesday at 11:10 a.m.
and Friday at 10:20 a.m.
Unfortunately, one of the things that did not happen was a
good two hours of studying Math 141.
I got in a good two hours of Beverage Appreciation 215
Wednesday night and a good hour of Roundball 102 Thursday
night. Somehow, some way. Math 141 got lost in the shuffle.
After laying a goose egg on my quiz Friday, and once again
arriving to class late, I had an inspirational talk with myself.
There was a lot of yelling, screaming and kicking during
the conversation, but fortunately I came away with minimal
physical and mental scars.
Drew the Idealist was not going to give up. The struggle
was now not so much with the class. It was with convincing
myself to take the initiative to succeed in the class. I went so
far as to visit my professor Friday afternoon during his office
hours. He was not there.
OK. I decided I’d set aside the entire day — or a least a
part of the entire day on Sunday — to focus on Math 141. Af
ter an 11 a.m. breakfast I thought I’d have the inspiration to
study Math 141, after, of course, reading an article in my new
issue of Rolling Stone.
1:30 p.m. I am awakened by the sound of my roommate. I
slide out of the recliner that I have been sleeping in for the
past two hours and try to find my math book.
2:15 p.m. My roommate wakes me up, again. Someone is on
the phone for me. Twenty minutes later I realize I have to be at
a coat and tie function in an hour — no time for Math 141.
8:45 p.m. Back at home. Drew the Idealist has given up. I
plan to wake up at 7:15 a.m., go to my advisor’s office, go to
the Pavilion and complete an add-drop by 9:00 a.m.
9:30 a.m. After a two hour battle with the snooze button on
my alarm clock, I stagger to the shower.
11a.m. I am a brand new man. I am no longer Drew Di-
ener Math 141 Student, but unfortunately I’m still Drew Di-
ener Chronic Idealist.
Drew Diener is a junior English major