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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 11, 1987)
Cure for acid rain takes mutual effort The United States and Canada share a common border; they also share a common problem — acid rain. There has beon much talk and little action in regard to acid rain, and much of the talk has been coming from the United States while most of the action has been coining from Canada. The tragic; irony of this story is that most of Canada's acid rain originates in the United States. Unwillingly. Canada imports roughly 50 percent of its acid rain from the United States. In Canada’s worst-hit areas, the average runs near 75 percent. Most of the exported acid rain is a product of the smoke stack industries along the Ohio Valley, where approximately 3.2 tons of suffer dioxide and nitrogen oxide waft across the border. The Canadians have initiated an ambitious program to combat the problem, pledging to reduce their own toxic emissions by 50 percent in the next 10 years. Similarly, they have asked the United States to follow their lead and join in a pact that would place mandatory cuts on toxic emissions — emissions that eventually flow across the border. It is estimated that acid rain, if left unchecked, will eliminate $20 billion in annual economic activity in (Canada, and would spell biological death for many of that country's streams, rivers, lakes and forests. Hut the Reagan administration has been dragging its feet w ith this issue and has snuhlred the Canadian acid rain pact. The President has refused to enter this pact, claiming that it would throw the U.S. smoke-stack industries into economic peril. Instead. Reagan has backed a five-year. $5 billion plan to research more efficient ways of burning coal. This is fine ami well; however, it does nothing in the in terim. The Keegan administration would lx; doing itsef, the nation and Canada a great favor by joining this pact. The longer the administration drugs its feet, the more acid rain will continue to erode and destroy precious natural resources on both sides of the border. Wine-cooler bottle bill would help alleviate clutter laist month, the Oregon Senate passed a hill that would require a 5-cent deposit on all wine coolers sold in the state. This was a good move hy the Senate and one that should help reduce roadside litter. The hill easily passed the Senate, and with good reason. Sen |am* (lease. I) Portland, sponsor of Senate Hill 508. pro duced evidence that wine coolers represent less than 1 per cent of the Ixmr and soft-drinks sold. However, a survey of highway litter found that empty wine cooler containers account for a disproportionate share of roadside ruhhish — up to eight times their market share. Opposition of tiie hill came from distributors, who claimed that required deposits would cost them undue ex penditures. As it turned out, distributors won an amendment that would permit them territorial rights to distribute their coolers in certain areas. The wine-cooler bill will move to the House where it is expected to pass with ease. The bill, if it becomes law. would coniform to existing state statutes governing other bottled beverages and would help clean the state's highways. Q&zzl. IS THAT THE. THM4KS I GST FtP PETUB\Jli^ 'iOUR Salute ?} ^ Letters Illogical Recent letters to the Ktnerald have proven without a doubt that women are Itetter than men. and lesbians are best overall |ohn Knglish and others have stated and implied in their let ters that because homosexuals an; more likely to net AIDS, they are more "guilty” than the n;st of the population. If we follow this line of reasoning, it is easy to see that lesbians, to whom AIDS is vir tually unknown, an; morally and biologically superior The same applies to women in general, who as AIDS victims an; outnumbered by men 15 to 1. If incidence of AIDS within population is indicative of guilt, then women an; superior to men. Obviously this is an il logical argument, yet it is one to which many homophobics adhen; passionately. While it is true that pro miscuity is a factor in disseminating AIDS, it is time to face the fact that AIDS is in no way a punishment for im moral behavior. Conceding the homophobic view of homosexuality, it is still Oregon Daily Emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald It published Monday through Friday except during exam wee* and vacations by the Oregon Dally Emerald Publishing Co . at the University of Oregon. Eugene. Oregon. 97403 The Emerald operates independently ol the University with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union and is a member of the Associated Press The Emerald is private property The unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable by law General Staff Advertising Director Susan Thelen Production Manager Wayne Michael Lottlnville Classified Advertising Alyson Simmons Assistant to the Publisher Jean Ownbey Advertising Sales: Peter LaFleur / Sales Manager Teresa Acosta. Janelle Heitmann Catherine Lilia. Hick Mart." Joseph Menrel. Joan Wildermuth Advertising Apprentices: Ten Boring. Heather Mull. Bar bara Rogers. Julie Paul News and Editorial SM SS11 Display Advertising and Business MM 3712 Classified Advertising MS 4343 Letter Perfect Graphics M^SSf t Production 6M 4381 Circulation MB-SS11 Editor Managing Editor News Editor Spactrum Editor Spectrum Assistant Editor Editorial Page Editors Sports Editor Photo Editor Spactrum Photo Editor Graphics Editor Night Editor Assoclats Editors Community Politics Highar Education' Administration Univarsity Affairs Student Government Student Activities General Assignment General Assignment Michelle Brence Lucinda Dillon Michael Rivers Stephen Maher Stanley Nelson Michael Drummond Angie Munir Dennis Fernandes Maria Corvallis John Glustina Lorraine Rath Stanley Nelson Janet Paulson B J Thomsen Chrts Norred Laurie Schwartz Carolyn Lamberson Sarah Kitchen Alicia Gano Scott Maben Reporters: JacKie Barry. Mary Courtis, Gary Henley Photographers: Shertyn Biorkgren. Shu Shing Chen. Der rel Hewitt. Tim Jones. Bobbie Lo. Dan Wheeler Production: Michele Ross / Ad Coordinator Supervisors: Sandra Bevans. ShuShmg Chen. Eliot Knight. Angela Muniz. Ingrid White Technicians: Kelly Aleaandre. Ronwm Nicole Ashton. Virginia Baniaga. Samantha Barbitta. Sara Bnscoe. Janet Emery, Judith Gatz. Lisa Haggerty. Jung Lee. Oonna Leslie. Bobbie Lo. Kelli Mason. Mike McGraw. Rob Miles. Diana May. Julie Paul. Serena Williams incurred to assume that AIDS is in any vvay linked with being guy. That most American AIDS victims an- gay men is. perhaps, no mure than coincidence when one considers that in Africa, where the AIDS epidemic is a far greater threat than in the United States, AIDS is over whelmingly a heterosexual disease. People feel compelled to judge good and evil; the AIDS virus is unaware of whether it is striking the most "innocent" newborn infant or the most 'guilty” promiscuous homosexual man. Only when fohn English. Eloyd Hearn, Dun Ooulet. and others like them grow up and realize that AIDS is not a biological At i I la the Hun descending to scourge the guil ty. will we be able to face this disease in a mature and rational manner. Kristen McBride Kathy laiursen Eugene Checking up In case you missed "Toll-Free Spy" (ODE. April 29). that let ter called on the carpet our new free spy number. 1-800-CALL SPY. This is in continuation. The housekeeper who turned in the new neighbors' gardener subsequently passed muster with an Avon Lady agent and received an inconsequential form letter thanking her for her concern and assuring her of the gardener's intentions. The gardener who had previously worked for "Rockwell” upon further in vestigation turned out to have worked for the funk rock group, not the arms manufacturer. The closing of this case was then considered, whereupon a last-minute background check of the housekeeper's employer, the ex-ambassador to brazil, revealed neither scandal nor ap prehension. . although there was one curious parking violation: It seetns he’d violated one of Kin's numerous human parking meters. Reparations to the vic tim amounted to 50.000 cen tavos, or roughly, two hamburgers. Unscathed, the ambassador served another 12 years without incident tiefure retiring to his south hills home with a clear conscience and a buttinsky housekeeper. The gardener, however, didn’t get off so lucky. Because of attempting to guard the wrong flowers against snails, he was let go. “But it's the nutrients." he insisted. "It's for the nutrients." And this he said with a stern look, like it was a belief, or at least something he'd been read. Tim |aquea Undeclared Letters Policy The Emerald will attempt to print all letters con taining fair comment on topics of interest to the University community. Letters to the editor must be limited to 250 words, typed, signed and the identification of the writer must be verified when the letter is turned in. The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length or style. Letters to the editor should be turned into the Emerald office. Suite 300. EMU.
