by Emily Geertsma and Sebastian Naslund

Guest Writers

When you're an environmentalist, it's good to act locally. By acting on a small scale large-scale differences can be made.

Our small scale is Calvin College. Calvin is becoming more environmentally conscious, and with this local improvement we hope to have an effect on the larger scale, the United States. However, we still have a long way to go. In order to illustrate this fact, we've compiled a few facts and helpful hints.

We'll start with Calvin's environmental pros and cons. Fortunately, Calvin now has recycling bins and will recycle almost anything. Unfortunately, the use of recycled paper at Calvin is at a measly 5%. Come one folks, use those recycled paper printers! They don't jam nearly as often as they did at first.

Secondly, have you noticed how huge the parking lots have gotten around here? This could mean that too many people are driving. Grand Rapids has a fairly reliable bus system, and Village Bike Shop sells some sweet bikes. You could buy one if you stopped paying for so much gas, and the environment will thank you for it. Do you like breathing unpolluted air or do you prefer to sniff car exhaust? We hope you answer for the former.

In any case, the use of automobiles by Calvin students is excessive, and public transportation, (as well as your own two legs) is waiting to be used more often.

We're not trying to sound preachy - we're just trying to sound like your mother: it's for your own good, not just for the good of those ``green'' hippie kids.

Now we'll look at the bigger picture - the nation in which we live. On the positive end of things, Americans now have the option of purchasing a new phenomenon called ``the hybrid vehicle.'' These cars release far less pollutants into the air and they have mind-boggling gas-mileage. If money is your concern, this car will save you some of it!

The U.S. has another thing going for it besides the new hybrid vehicles - for instance, we do have conservation and environmental protection laws. Even if we can't save all of the wild areas (since our lifestyles aren't compatible with the rest of creation), at least we can save some if it.

On the negative end, people aren't buying many hybrids because options are still limited. We need to produce more energy efficient vehicles in order to give consumers more options. Judging from the amount of harmful fuel emissions released by ``normal'' cars, they should have been outlawed a long time ago (along with toxic waste dumps near residential areas).

The U.S., like Calvin, has some work to do. For reasons unknown, we do not look to environmentally sustainable options. For example, instead of harvesting oil in Alaska and Lake Michigan, we could work to create solar, wind and bio-fuel energy sources. This would cost time and money, but in the long run it would save both time and money, while allowing the environment to stay in its natural, unexploited state.

Finally, the most shocking statistic of all: American recycling habits. We have the ability to recycle - it's incredibly easy and free - yet 98% of waste in landfills is made up of recyclable materials. This shouldn't make sense to anyone.

We have concurred that the majority of people at Calvin think in an environmentally conscious way, but they don't often act on it. As far as the nation goes, we're not sure what's going on there, but it doesn't look good.

What it all comes down to is this: we need to remember our environmental responsibilities given by God, and described around here as ``Christian stewardship''. We are not encouraged to live in harmony with creation, we are commanded to live this way. Creation is a gift, and we don't want to ruin it for ourselves. Everyone will pay for it sooner rather than later.