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selling off their timberiands in Georgia. The major
trend is to simply concentrate on manufacturing
of forest products. This means they will buy their
wood from wherever!"
Bongarten also considers the national perspec
tive. "Personally. I'd recommend that our federal
government do more investing in alternative fuel
sources. Fossil fuels are not renewable. So ft's just
a question of when we run out of them. Yet if we
plan ahead, we can develop the technology to
solve a lot of these issues. Unfortunately, we're at
a particular time when environmental issues are
not at the forefront of people's minds."
In order to improve people's knowledge and
awareness about the environment Bongarten also
recommends more outreach to primary and sec
ondary education teachers.
"We've get a full-time public service associate.
Kris Irwin," he says. 'His mission is to work with
teacUrs at the K-12 level to promote under
standing of environmental issues through training
and teaching materials. Unfortunately, there's
only one of him, and he faces the situation of
rapid teacher turnover. So he can never just do it
once and know that it's done. It's ongoing. But
environmental education, particularly in Georgia,
is crucial. It's really something we need to do a
lot better!"
Liz Conroy
Uz Conroy writes about environmental matters
for Flagpole.
quality are directly connected. Sediment and other
pollutants enter our rivers as a result of this wide
spread construction. So, how much do we value
open space and availability of clean water in order
to protect these resources?
"There are laws on the hooks in Georgia, but
enforcement is typically weak," Bongarten says.
"Another related issue is water quantity,* he
continues. "There are proposals to dam more of
Georgia's rivers for 'drought-proofing.' Again this
relates back to the question of what do we value?
The rivers and streams and riparian areas of
Georgia are incredible sources of biodiversity and
serve as major filters of pollutants. Do we really
want to give up the health of these rivers in order
to build more reservoirs? In my personal opinion,
I don't*
However, Bongarten teamed early on that the
sense of private property rights is strongly insti
tuted in the Southern culture. "Because of the
intense belief in private property rights in the
South, there is much less of a community feet
What you do on your property and how it might
affect the neighboring community isn't considered.
How tong this will take to change, I don't know."
"Air quality is another major concern in
Georgia," says Bongarten. "Georgia in particular,
and the Southeast in general are especially prone
to significant damage from ozone concentration.
In this region, we get high pressure areas called
'Bermuda highs.’ This puts a cap on all the air for a
good bit of the summer. The ozone damages
human lungs as well as plants. Air pollution
degrades the photosynthesis apparatus in trees
and plants. When trees are so weakened, then this
makes the trees more susceptible to other
stresses. This is what [Distinguished Research
Professor of Forest
Physiology] Bob Teskey is
researching."
Bongarten is departing,
but not without recommenda
tions for the future. He rec
ommends continued support
for renewable resources such
as tree harvesting in the
United States. "If we don't
harvest trees here, trees will
be harvested in countries
where regulations are lacking.
This is one of the biggest
threats to the Amazon forests.
The forest products industry
recognizes the need for better
public relations, and most
companies in the U.S. are
working to improve.
Unfortunately, with both property taxes znd land
values on the rise, these same industries are
War Is HeU
The Real Reality
It was an unusual Memorial Day. We pauseo to .
remember our fallen heroes, but the death count
in Iraq continues to rise. Over 1600 troops dead!
We continue to hear of the war on terror as the
reason we're placing our young in draped coffins
and decorating their graves with red, white and
blue flowers. "Taps' continues to be heard in the
distance and loved ones continue, to cry them
selves to sleep.
Will yte ever give the war in Iraq its proper
name, or will we forever call it the war on terror?
If history is correct Iraq was not the nation that
attacked the Twin Towers or the Pentagon. Iraq
had a ruthless dictator, but he was not the archi
tect behind the attacks on our native soil
Some have suggested the war should be called
"Bush's War" or "The War For Oil" In the early
days of the conflict the reason given for our
being in Iraq changed often, and, I suppose, the
name of the war did as well
Among the titles given for our presence there,
I would suggest one more: "The Grim Reaper."
Given our fascination with reality television, "The
Grim Reaper" could bring into our homes the cost
of life and limb that mounts as the days pass. We
could forget about watching Jessica and Nick or
"American Idol* or "The Real Giltigan's Island."
These shows are supposedly reality, but reality at •
its best sexiest and most glamorous.
Opponents of "The Grim Reaper" would point
out that we already have the gory details in Iraq
broadcast nightly on network and cable news.
And while that's true, depending upon which
news program one watches, the reality presented
is different .
One network plays toward the destructive side
of the war; another discusses the destruction but
highlights the worth of such toss; while another
simply challenges the Administration's policy and
depicts the seemingly never-ending occupation.
Maybe the real truth is somewhere in the mix.
But the reality is 1600 of our kids are dead and
will never walk this proud land again. We will
simply bow our heads in gratitude for their ulti
mate sacrifice next Memorial Day while we picnic
with our neighbors.
We will laugh and applaud the fake lives por
trayed on our reality TV shows during the
upcoming season, and leave the grim reaper to go
about his business wreaking havoc on our youth
and the innocent people in a land far away.
The world calls for hope and peace and suffers
A Tribute
Remembering Bo
Bo Tompkins is gone, and with him we have
tost one of our great true artists. He was an
eclectic color theorist a wetlands-generated per
cussionist an avid walker and a true heart on the
level of Jimmy Carter's gentleness and intelli
gence. He was, is and should be an inspiration for
the creativity in all of us. „
Bo believed in magic, and with that I am
hopeful for his continuing influence here, now. We
love you. Bo!
If there is but one lesson to learn from the
toss, it must be that if any of us have any inclina
tion, do not hesitate! The time is now to love
gently and do youi art! Love, Bo.
Ban Barks
Ben Barbs is a local builder who was a longtime
friend of the late Bo Tompkins. Bo's friends are
planning an exhibit of his paintings at Ricker in
July.
What We Value
What We Protect
After 27 years at the Wamell School of Forest
Resources, Assistant Dean Bruce Bongarten is
leaving UGA. He's headed
north to Syracuse for the
longer, colder winters at the
State University of New York's
College of Environmental
Science end Forestry, where
he'll be the new Provost and
Vice President for Academic
Affairs.
Before leaving, Bongarten
shares his views about
Georgia's natural resources
and changing landscape. His
views, he explains, are related
to two basic questions: What
do we value? How do we pro
tect what we value?
There's no doubt, he says,
that the Atlanta area, Bruce Bongarten
including the Piedmont is a
poster child fc.‘ urban sprawl Then there's the
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under tyranny-whether tyranny of a dictator or a
democratically elected leader. And regardless of
how our nation responds, we will never under
stand that most of the world doesn't want our way
of We.
They are not jealous that we have a
McDonald's on every street corner or an affluence
that in its wake promises life, but leaves us emoty
and atone.
How arrogant we are to really believe we can
win the war of ideas when our own mental capa
bilities are feeble and shallow, and those of differ
ence cultures sense this and want no part of it
We believe that we are not only admired but
possess what everybody else wants. We think we
are envied when really we're despised.
If watched regutorty, "The Grim Reaper" would
call us to unmask the demonic powers that bend
and distort us, that shape us into being cruel and
inhuman to one another. We would find ourselves
being drawn into solidarity with the wounded a
half a world away, and find some resolution to
this madness.
There's an ancient legend that says that the
devil, master of disguise, tried to get into heaven
by pretending to be the risen Christ He took with
him his demons disguised as angles of tight and
had them cry out the traditional first part of the
welcome psalm: "Lift up your heads, 0 ye Gates of
Heaven, and lift up your doors that the King of
Glory shall enter!"
The real angels looked down on what they
thought was their king returning in triumph from
the dead. So they in turn shouted with joy the
refrain: "Who is this King of Glory?"
The devil then made a fetal mistake. He
opened his arms and spread his palms and
declared, "I am!" The angels immediately
slammed the gates of heaven and refused to let
the impostor in. They saw right away there were
no marks of nails in his palms. The impostor had
no wounds of love; the impostor had not paid
the cost
Those with a religious orientation to life are
called to suffer with the wounded and dying in
Iraq. Any religion that is not identifying with the
wounded and dying is just as feke as any reality
TV show that clamors for our attention.
Mike Merslnilll
Rev. Mike MarsingiU is pastor of Young Harris
Memorial United Methodist Church here in Athens.
Animal Contiol
I '
Last Week’s Scorecard
Athens-Clarke County Animal Control
responded to 61 calls.
12 complaints of animal cruelty
4 bite cases
2 complaints of barking dogs
7 citations for ordinance violations
37 animals impounded
28 dogs
4 cats
3 bats
1 bird
1 raccoon
15 dogs placed
9 adopted
4 reclaimed
2 turned over to other agencies
•
ACC Animal Control press release for the week of
May 26 to June 1.
Bumpersticker
Of The Week
Those Who Can Make You Believe Absurdities
Can Make You Commit Atrocities —Voltaire
See an interesting bumpersticker? Write it down
and send it to editorQflogpoie.com. Thanks.
JUNE 8, 2005 - FLAGP0LE.COM 7