Art
ulture
aced@clackamas.edu
Wednesday, May 2 , 2 0 12
The Clackamas Print j
W ildm an suggests
reusing plastic
By Isaac Soper
Arfs & Culture Editor
Oil and food prices rise
everyday. Soon, w ithout
food stamps and gardening,
the lower middle"class won’t
be able to 'afford to drive
to and from wo'fk. As the
Earth becomes more and
mtire -'polluted and people
can no longer work or eat,
corporations try to con
vince the American popu
lace that everything is going
to be okay.
. We can’t conceive o f life
w ithout oil. In the age that
we live in, no longer is
wood or metal the basis for
which things are manufac
tured; oil is the medium
in which all is created by
man. O ur food is wrapped
in it, our cars are built out
o f it an d run on i t even our
clothes are made with it.
Most plastics are made
with oil, and due to the
non-stop increase in oil
prices (which may rise sig
nificantly, or lower slightly
on an oil barons wnim),
corporations have begun to
try and convince us that
we can lower oil prices and
save the Earth by redesign
ing the creation of plastic.
By breaking down certain
foods, namely corn; scien
tists can create plastics. We
have designed fuel that can
be used in our automobiles
out o f food as well; fuel
that we used to use for our
bodies, fuel that multitudes
o f people are lacking world
wide.
Instead o f looking for
more sustainable options
for powering our cars, we
continue to confirm our
allegiance to the oil com
panies by using their— now
corn-based— gasoline and
oil. Wow, we sure figured
out the oil crisis on that
one. Short on food and oil?
Now you can drink the new
corn-based gasoline and put
it into your car— its got
electrolytes!
The disadvantages o f oil-
powered cars can be eas
ily seen, and yes, there are
definite disadvantages to
hybrid cars as well as fully
electric cars. Why aren’t we
looking into other sources
o f fuel? Water-powered cars
were first patented in 1935,
using the properties of elec
trolysis (separating hydro
gen and oxygen from water
molecules).
N orm al plastic takes
about 1,000 years to bio
degrade, u n d er norm al
conditions. W hen I say
“normal conditions,” spe
cific things come to mind,
le ts say,- outside, and
between 30 to 100 degrees
F ahrenheit.
R em em ber
that. Biodegradable plas
tic, which is com m only
made out o f cornstarch or
other plant-based materials,
is used in many new dis
posable utensils and water
bottles. You are supposed
to have a warm, fuzzy feel
ing when you throw these
bottles away. D id you know
that if you put a “plant-
bottle” in the ground, a tree
will grow?
Biodegradable plastic
“under normal conditions”
w ill,, at least according to
the companies that manu-
facture them, biodegrade in
much less , time than regu
lar plastics. “Normal con
ditions” for biodegradable
plastics differ from what
you and I consider “nor
mal.” “N orm al” to them
means between ,140 and
300 degrees Fahrenheit.
T h at’s normal, for let’s say,
the surface o f Mercury in
the dead o f winter. Under
the normal conditions o f
Earth, they will biodegrade
in about 999 years. Saving
the planet one year, or let’s
say, one starving child at a
time.
It can be assumed that
the typical process o f recy
cling plastics is a process
that is harmful to the envi
ronm ent. W hat about reus
ing the plastics opposed to
"recycling” and remanufac
turing them? Many plastics,,
especially containers, could
simply be washed, sanitized
and reused. Even germa-
phobes (properly titled
mysophobes) can use dishes
that nave been sanitized.
Instead o f wasting , food
on creating new plastics
and gasoline, it seems 4s
though we could solve at
least a few o f our environ
mental problems by look
ing at them from a different
perspective. It we recycled
plastics that are already
created better and worked
on making truly environ
mentally friendly sources o f
powering our vehicles, it
would be a step in the right
direction.
Find more stories and
photos from The P rin t at
www.TheClackamasPrint.com
The Portland Aerial Tram takes passengers from O H SU to the South Waterfront. This is one o f the
stops oh the 4 T Trail that loops in Portland, starting at the Oregon Zao. x
Trail explores Portland sights
B y Brad H eineke
Photo E ditor^
* 4 T = T + T W + T T he
most elementary o f algebraic
functions,' right? However in
P ortland/4T = Trail + Tram
Trolley’+Train. Portland’s 4T is’,
a hike growing in poularity. It’s
ah eight-mile loop that traverses
some of the uhique highlights of
the Rose City via die Southwest
hills, with a great combination
of nature and urban scenery.:’
It specifically includes a hike
from the Oregon Zoo up the
Marquam frail, ' to ! thè city’s''
highest point at Council Crest,
then on j to three o f P-Town’s
uhique modes o f transport:
die Pordahd Aerial Tram, the
Portland Street Car (trolley),
and TriMet Max (train) back to
a train tunnel then elevator to
the zoo. There were great views
o f the city, the Willamette,
bridges and the Cascade Range.'
Start the hike at the Oregon
Zoo. Nearby is the Washington
Park Max station, highlighted
by Les AuCoin Plaza. Signage
for the 4T hike was immediate
ly visible. ¡Walk across thé over
pass of Highway 26, turn left
onto the shoulder o f the free
way ón ramp, then down-about
halfway to the well marked
trailhead o f the Marquam trail.
The trail hike portion covers
three and -a half to four miles
depending on the chosen route.
It is very well marked at all trail
crossings and provides reassur
ance with helpful signage along
the route. It took two and a half
hours with many .brief photo
stops. Hiking time could range
from one and a halfoto .three
hours depending on whether
you take the urban route, Forest
Trail or--combinations o f the
two. I can’t imagine bypassing
th e trail. It is a beau tifu l gem
o f a forest filled, wjttft ferns,
cam p u s. A b o u t 2 0
o f sig h tseein g Ja tg r
m in u te s
;^at
blooms, birds and a wide vari
ety o f trees. The trails are' well
groomed but can be muddy
after rains. The trails and signs
.will lead you across a couple
"foa<feH until you have reached
Council Crest' with its largfe
lawn and circular observation
area. It offers sweeping views
including Mt. Hood, Mt. St.
Helens, Mt- Adams and M t..
Jeffetson.
Leaving irtth ed irectio n y o u
came from leads to signs con
tinuing out loop, back down
the forest trail to the Marquam
shelter, and Oregon Health
Science University campus with
its buildings, which are precari
ously built inside a small can
yon and its two flanking ridges
is quite interesting. This is die
longest suspended pedestrian
bridge -in N orth America at
660 ft. It connects O HSU with
the VA Hospital and with glass
sides gives a thrilling view.
Following the 4 T signs a few
hundred yards brings you to the
Peter Kohler Pavilion; which is
the upper side of the Portland
Aerial T ram .'If you h erit yet
enjoyed the Tram, nls* loop
.provides a great opportunity to
experience this fun yet simple
ride ahd city feature, w ith the
Free ride down;, the $4 le e 4».
only charged when riding up.
The high suspended view has
slight dips and lifts, asyou glide
down 3,300 feet to the South
Waterfront district, which are
very interesting.
The street car stops adjacent
to the tram approximately every
15 minutes. Take it north
bound for a cool ride along this
waterfront area with its newer
high rise condos. It then turns
west up and through the PSU
10th and Yamhill which is the
M ultnom ah Central Library
stop? Pioneef C ourthouse
Square Lryu^fc four blocks east
from here. W hen ready to
depart downtown and return
to the Oregon Zoo, you will go
orie block'north to Morrison,
at which the Beaverton and
Hillsboro' Maxdines run.'
Board the Blue or Red line
Max tow ard Beaverton or
Hillsboro. After it stops at Jeld-
Wen Field and Goose Hollow,
it will soon enter the three mile
long Robertson tunnel. Exit at
the only stop in the tunnel,
Washington Park. This is the
deepest train station in N orth
America. There is a great geo
graphic timeline and a drilling
core sample displayed here. You
can take the elevator 260 ft.
back up to the Oregon Zoo to
‘complete the eight-mile loop.
It’s hard to beat the 4T for a
fun and affordable day. Enjoy
great scenery;- grand viewpoints,
fun rides, and much more for as
little as a $2.1.0 Max pass. There
are detailed directions and loop
maps online, but the excellent
signage will truly lead your way.
Name: 4T Trail
Location: Portland
(starts at the Oregon
Zoo)
Typ e: Groomed and
marked trails
Length: Eight miles
Difficulty: Easy/
Moderate
Equipm ent needed:
Boots, water, money
for max ride