September 18, 2007
ASUM wasting money in hiring climate position
So the ASUM has decided to spend $4,300 this semester by hiring someone to act as the “climate commitment student coordinator.” That person’s job is to go around and take measurements of greenhouse gasses around campus, and file a report about it. Am I the only person who thinks this is a gigantic waste of money? Last time I checked the University isn’t operating a coal plant. I can just see how this idea came about. Someone in the ASUM was just sitting around saying, “Hmm, what can I waste money on today?” Seriously what could this person possibly do that is worth $4,000? I’ll tell you what ASUM, I’ll do it for ten bucks right now.
First off, all papers should be written with a typewriter. Using computers and fancy printers takes up loads of energy. Hell who needs lights? Just buy $4,000 worth of candles. Think of all the poor fish that have to die so we can gobble up the electricity that comes from a hydroelectric dam. Also, the food served on campus should be carefully monitored. Everyone knows methane gas release is one of the leading causes of global warming.
What about all the greenhouse gases released during the Rolling Stones concert last year? You think planting a few more trees on campus is enough to offset the huge amount of energy required to build the set, put on the concert and tear it down? And if I remember correctly, the University delayed their switch to biodiesel for one week to accommodate the thousands of gallons of good old fashion regular diesel the Rolling Stones used. I guess it’s okay as long as the University gets to pocket a hundred grand. If they are serious about becoming an environmentalist utopia, why are they having Elton John come to town? Maybe they can talk him into dimming the lights a little bit and not using a microphone. Wouldn’t that make us all feel a little better about ourselves? How much gasoline do you think all the bulldozers and heavy machinery repairing the steam tunnels use up a day? Last time I checked Honda doesn’t make a hybrid version of a dump truck.
I think that $4,000 could be spent in a much more productive way. How about we pay the campus groundskeepers extra money to mow the Oval with an old school metal push-mower. Do they really need that fancy riding version? All that’s doing is killing polar bears in Antarctica. And speaking of Elton John, couldn’t we just pay somebody $4,000 to not screw that up? Bottom line, the University of Montana is just a drop in the bucket when it comes to producing greenhouse gasses. It’s just a small area, in a small city, located in a small state. The administration is not going to stop global warming - which may or may not be human-caused – simply by paying somebody four grand to walk around and write some stupid report. I know it makes every liberal feel better about themselves, but isn’t this just another ridiculous waste of poor college students’ money?
Adam Cummings
sophomore, business administration
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