Nobel laureate says
Wild plants a source of crude oil
By D»bbie Howlett
Of A* EmoraM
Growing and harvesting a crop of
"wild plants" to supply at least part of the
nation's need for crude oil, upon a first
look, doesn't seem to make a great deal
of sense But, to Melvin Calvin, a Nobel
Prize winning chemist, that idea could be
the end of an era in the United States
Identifying his research as "more cur
rent than you would perhaps imagine,"
Calvin, at a Tuesday afternoon press
conference, said "the trick, it seems to
me, is to avoid (political) involvement "
To avoid that involvement, Calvin says
Americans need to become independent
in their need for oil One way to achieve
that independence, Calvin says, is to
produce plants, such as the milkweed,
that crude oil can be obtained from
Calvin, who is credited with
discovering photosynthesis in plants, is a
professor at the University of California,
Berkeley He explains that the finite re
serve of crude oil need not be the only
source of oil for people's needs
The reserves we now have were once
produced by green plants." Calvin said
We should now harvest the annual
production instead of waiting a 100 mil
lion years "
Calvin explained that the plants need
ed to produce crude oil are abundant
and easily grown, given the right climate
Photo by Mark Pynos
Melvin Calvin, Nobel laureate, will lec
ture at 9:30 a.m. today In the EMU Forum
Room.
' They exist all over, there are
thousands of different kinds," Calvin
says, "it's a matter of choosing the
species that fits that part of the region ”
As an example Calvin used the milkweed
plant, a common, un-domesticated
weed The milkweed, says Calvin,
produces a latex substance that crude oil
can be derived from
"The problem is to extract the hy
drocarbons.'' Calvin says Some plants
you can tap like you would to get maple
syrup. Just stick in a spigot, and let it drip
out.”
Other plants like the milkweed and
gopher plants in eastern Oregon,
according to Calvin, can be cut and
harvested much like hay, and in a rela
tively simple process, crude oil can be
extracted About 8 percent of the total
plant weight would be crude oil, 20
percent would be sugar and 50 percent
would be used as fuel for steam to
extract the oil and sugar.
An area of land the size of Arizona,
could supply about 20 percent of the
nation’s fuel needs, about 2 million
barrels of crude oil per day, says Calvin.
He also stresses that that figure is from
wild plants Once a plant is domesticat
ed, Calvin predicts that the yield could
increase tremendously.
Oil companies are interested, not in
major proportions Calvins says, but en
ough to give some financial support.
”1 got a check yesterday from Mobil,
although it was a small check,” Calvin
says
Calvin also says that one oil company
has sunk about $10 million into research.
He declined to name the company but
said that there is an increasing interest in
this process
As far as Calvin is concerned, the
process could be put into effect tom
morrow, if the financial support was
there
Health faire
provides a
body’s view
A Hands-on experience was the
theme of Tuesday's seventh
annual Health Faire.
Participants got the chance to
use biofeedback, test their lung
capacity, heart rate, blood pres
sure and measure body fat. There
was also a computer that gave an
approximate lifespan on the basis
of 20 questions (it is uncertain how
reliable the test is — some people
were finding out they should have
been dead years ago!) About 40
agencies had information available
"The agencies have been very
creative,’' says Kathleen Benafel,
director of the health fair. “People
are eager to find out about health
and that means more than just
nutrition. They like to hear and see
things happen and they want to see
for themselves.”
The Willamalane Kitchen Band,
made up of seven senior citizens,
performed because “we wanted
seniors involved. They are just as
important as any other group and
they always seem to get left out,"
Benafel says. To round out the
program, the fair presented a pup
pet show with a moral pointing out
the problems of the handicapped
et al.
MEETINGS
The Condon Society win hold its first meeting of spring
term today at 4 30 p m in Room 47 Geology Building
SPEAKERS
Varya s Fiction and French Naturalism ' is me topic
of a lecture by Dr Giovanni Cecchetli University of
California at Los Angeles today at 3 30 p m m Gerlmger
Lounge
Abortion and me law is me topic of a panel discussion
sponsored by Episcopal Campus Ministry today from
12 30-1 30 p m m Room 111. EMU Panel members will
include Laura Parrish attorney Patti Van Metre
Planned Parenthood Cleora Mersdorf working for me
Human Life Amendment Diane Nye. National Aboriton
Rights League and Chnt Bryant National Right to Lite
Association
"New World In the Old: Change and Continuity In
Spain and America" is the topic ot a lecture by Dr Ida
Altman Hebrew University of Jerusalem today at 5 p m
in Room 184. PLC The lecture is sponsored by the
history department and is open to the public
"What's Going On In Jerusalem?" is the topic of a
lecture by a speaker from the Muslim Students
Association today at 7 30 p m in Room 167. EMU
WORKSHOPS
"Balancing Family and School." is the topic ot a
workshop, sponsored by University Women in Transi
tion today at 3 p m in Room 337. EMU Margie Holland
and Betty Dale. Lane Community College counselors,
will lead the workshop
Bankruptcy and Its alternatives is the topic of a
workshop led by attorney Eric Haws, today at 7 30 p m at
the Central Presbyterian Church. 15th Avenue and Ferry
Street For more information, call 342-8255
FILMS
"Batik In Java" is the topic of a slide show by local
artist Dee Curwen today at 7 30 p m in the EMU Forum
Curwen s presentation will include examples of work
brought back from a recent trip to Java
MISCELLANEOUS
Pre-meds: Martiss Strange has information on a
premedical scholarship for the 1982-83 school year To
apply you must be eligible for financial aid For more
information, drop by Room 164, Oregon Hall
A benefit dinner for die April 24th Coalition to End
The War In El Salvador will be held Thursday from 5-9
p m at the Keystone Cafe, Fifth Avenue and Lawrence
Street Polish food will be served $4-$6 sliding
scale
Money for medical school: There are several scholar
ships available to University students accepted to
medical schools Please see Marliss Strange. Room 164,
Oregon Hall, before Monday
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