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About What's happening. (Eugene, OR) 1982-1993 | View Entire Issue (April 28, 1983)
Laruh Day ReriectOnS “Earth Day” observations I have a way of calling attention to some of our most difficult “environmental” problems and “Earth Day” (or Earth Week, this year) was no exception in Eugene and the University of Oregon campus. . . Energy, acid rain, nuke bombs and power were target issues. energy strategies tor me Northwest” featuring noted energy expert and author Amory Lovins and his wife, Hunter, has particularly important meaning for our region. His talk on the University and LCC campuses showed beyond any reasonable doubt that energy demands (par ticularly electricity) are going down, down, down. He showed a literal history of “falling” energy estimates (nationwide and world-wide), transposing this over the situation in the Pa cific Northwest. His new pro jections show that "the people” are running ahead of the bureau crats’ outrageous present and future energy use estimates, achieving savings by conserva tion, solar applications and other innovations. For the Northwest, this means (and Lovins told them so) that the BPA Regional Advisory Council is way off base in their twenty-year future energy pro jects soon to be made official in a report to be issued any day now. Levins says that the North west is “fuel poor, but energy rich.” We have more hydroelec tric power for all our applica tions that require electricity, he observed. Lovins also stressed that the Northwest gets more than enough sun to apply passive and active solar technology for heat ing all our buildings and sup plying heat for industry. He said that new technology like “super coated glasses,” “photovol taic,” and other applications will also make great energy sav ings and throw off the huge "energy need projections” put out by BPA, the New Regional Council to BPA, and other in dustrial and utility persons. His remarks suggested the North west will not only not need the WPPSS nuke power plants but won’t need the Creston “coal fired” plants which generate the environmentally harming “acid rain.” we Stdle ai a -TOpolvduo. Delay in deploying diverse appropriate technologies pushes them so far into the future that there will no longer by anything left of the fossil-fuel bridge we must use to get to them. We must use our remaining cheap fossil fuels sparingly to finance a transition as nearly as possible straight to our ultimate energy income sources ... the sun, the wind, water and biomass.” Lovins says, “We shall not have another chance to get there.” “Acid rain,” if it continues,, may make it impossible for the planet to continue as we have known it and may also make it difficult to get anywhere! That is the conclusion viewers may reach while watching the Cana dian film. Acid from Heaven, which wowed Earth Week audi ences several times. After viewing several screen ings of the film, it seemed to me that the reason that Reagan Jus tice Department officials labeled it as “propaganda” was that it is so totally effective in getting the acid rain message across. To a "soft path” utility person, such as myself, the meaning of the film is: We’ve got to do some thing about it or we’ll not only destroy the U.S. as we know it, but the ecosystem of the world. The last Challenger voyage re vealed to us that the entire world is being covered by a blanket of smog. An examination by a pH water meter would likely show a high “acidity” content of that smog. Acid Rain makes use of an elderly Canadian fisherman named Pete, who loses his lake, fishing, and livelihood to acid rain and is shown in his explora tion to find out why and what caused the killing of fish and de struction of the Northeast lakes, streams and ecosystem. It also strongly suggests a political solu tion to ending acid rain and that is “to do something about it at its source.” This means scrub bers and other devices in the fossil fuel-fired plants which may up the cost but will even tually save the planet. The film with its ‘soft sell’ documenation tells how the acid rain is formed from sulfur diox ide, nitrous dioxide, and other emissions from fossil fuel-fired plants. The source of acid rain has been discovered and redis covered except that many indus trialists and utility officials have tried to dodge the issue. The Ohio Valley is particularly bad with the production of emissions which go on to Canada to dam age lakes and streams there. The entire matter is an international issue and will also have to be dealt with by all industrial coun tries, including the U.S. and Canada. Of particular significance to the Northwest (our region), acid rain is most harmful to trees, plants, birds and animals as well as fish. Unless action is taken, the future of tree growing in the Northwest could well be affected by large acid rain emissions. The film is certainly a “must see” by the general population and hopefully the legal action taken against the U.S. Justice Dept, will be positive, and a large part of the population can see this film. It also seems to be that acid rain will join the nuke concerns (bombs & power) as one of the major environmental and political concerns in this last part of the 20th century. Earth Week had much more, but acid rain and energy were two of the major environmental concerns highlighted by the week of seminars, films, and discus sions. Members of the Universi ty of Oregon Survival Center Group are certainly to be con gratulated for a job well done. The caliber of the seminar par ticipants was outstanding and the entire effort was soberingly educational and that’s what Earth Week is supposed to be all about, anyway! —Jack Craig BBBBBEE CALZONE ON THURSDAYS Vegie or Meat SY’S PIZZA 1211 Alder On Campus =============== Soils and Fertility In order to grow well, plants need nutrients. Some nutrients such as hydrogen (H), and oxy gen (O) come from the air; others such as phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) come from the soil and fertilizers. Soil is broken down rock and organic matter which holds plants in place and provides a storehouse for nutrients and moisture. There are three general classi fications of soil: sand, silt and clay. Most soil is a mixture of all three. In general, we in Eugene have a clay soil. It is high in nu trients and holds water well. The disadvantage is that a clay soil is “heavy” and needs organic mat ter in the form of compost or humus, to be easily workable. A soil test is the most accurate way to learn about the quality of your soil. A do-it-yourself soil test kit can be purchased or you can send away a sample to the state extension service or to a professional tester. Soil tests measure the pH, nitrates, phos phorus and sometimes calcium and magnesium present in the soil. pH is a measurement of the concentration of hydrogen ions in the soil. It is read on a scale between 0 and 14. Seven is neutral pH. 0-7 pH refers to an acid or soul soil; 7-14 pH refers to an alkaline or sweet soil. Gar den vegetables like to grow in a soil with a pH of 6.5-7. Straw berries, blueberries, rhoddies and azaleas like a more acid soil with a pH ranging between 4.5 and 5.5 At a pH of 6.5-7 the nutrients insuch as phosphorus and potassium are more avail able for the plants to use. In order to raise the pH from 5.5 to 6.5, add either agricultural or dolomite lime. Dolomite lime, though more expensive, contains calcium and magnesium. A high pH can be lowered by adding sulphur, gypsum or peat moss. Nitrogen (N) is the “protein source” for plants. It provides for rapid, leafy green growth. Organic sources are manures such as horse and chicken, fish based fertilizers, cottonseed meal and blood meal. Phosphor us (P), a rock product, aids the root growth of plants and has tens the ripening of flowers and fruits. Organic sources are rock phosphate, fish meal, bone meal and cottonseed meal. Potassium or potash (K) increases a plant’s resistance to disease. Organic sources are kelp meal, green sand and wood ashes. The micro-nutrients or minor soil re quirements of a plant are added with compost, fish meal, bone meal and manures. An organic or naturally occur ring fertilizer is derived from a plant or animal product. A chemical fertilizer is either manufactured or mined. Chemical fertilizers, sold in varying proportions of N-P-K generally are available for plant use sooner than organic fer tilizers and do not last more than one garden season. The more re fined the product, the sooner it becomes availble to plants and the faster it leaches out through the soil. To increase garden growth, base the amount of fertilizer to be used on the specific needs of your soil and the specific crops to be planted. Have fun. —Peggy Quinn Laurel Landscaping To wish you a happy Mother’s Day, I would climb the highest mountain ford the deepest stream hrpm or go to PAPCR TRADCR/ * in the 5th Street Public Market for the best possible card! —Mother's Day is Sunday, May 8th— ♦And WONDERFUL gifts for Mother at the WWC TDADER/ -reotex on the balcony. 485-1390 * 1390 Oak Street Typesetting Camera Work Paste-Up Editing Services Design Tuesday 3 Meetings Peace Corps Volunteers. a potluck meeting for all returned Peace Corps Volunteers and anyone else interested in joining the Peace Corps. 6:30 pm at home of Beryl Brinkman, 892 Sprague Rd., Eugene (one mile out West Amazon from the Texaco Station on Hilyard). 345-3504. Mothers Day Gift Making, a session is of fered on May 5 from 1-2 pm at West moreland Community Center. Register to day, 1545 W 22nd. 52. All supplies pro Bright Wings Cancer Support Center of fers a five-week class beginning today called “My Friend Has Cancer: What Can I Do?” Covers home care, support sys tems, communication skills, community resources. Register at LCC Downtown Center. 342-6053. Gay Men’s Group—Galla Session. All welcome. Downstairs Wesley Center. 686-3360. Film/Slide Shows Cascade Alpine Guide Series—Fred Beckey, author, will present a slide/film show titled, “The Mountains of North America.” 7:30 EMU Ballroom, free. Senior Center Slide Show, Mt. St. Helen’s slide show by a Public Information scien tist. 7 pm. Concerts Mummenshanz, at the Hull Center for the Performing Arts. 8 pm. Odetta, dynamic force in American folk music, will perform at the WOW Hall starting at 8 pm. See Music This Week for details. Workshops / Classes Central America News to be analyzed in meeting sponsored by Eugene Human Rights Council. 7:30 pm at 1736 Kincaid. 484-5867. Discussion of latest develop ments from Washington, D.C. and Cen tral America. Preparing for Law School session to be held starting at 3:30 pm in Oregon Hall, Room 164. Timed to help participants meet the May 19 deadline for law school Admissions test. Buntin'—The Total Workout includes stretching, isolations and aerobics. First class free. 343-7581. Starting a new session 7-8 am, $3/class. Women’s Kung Fu for beginners. Class starts today. $25 fee. From 6:30-8:30 pm at 1002 Jackson St, 2nd & Jackson. For information call Switchboard. ETe. Bookmobile is at Garber’s University Nursing Center, 10:30 am; Echo Hollow Plaza, Echo Hollow Rd, 2:30-5:30 pm. TV/Vidco Cable II (Community Access) features: Connie’s Corner, seventy-year-old Connie Strubhar tells stories, sings, uses puppets and gives moral lessons for children and adults, 6:30; Winds of Change, 7:00; Nicola Studio One, instruction in how to paint using European method of wet on wet, 7:30; Can Do, variety entertainment show by disabled, hosted by B J. Ashwill, 8:00; Draft Registration, panel discussion with Ann Warner, Dave Fidanque and Peter DeFazio on draft registration and pending draft legislation, 8:30; Tech Talks, WiSTEC present Guido Rahr, hes pitologist, who will show and discuss the Oregon Rattlesnake, 9:00; Music Notes, 9:30. OGs ADY HERBS FRESH • CUT PLANTS SWEETWATER NURSERY 1-895-3431
