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Show 8 THE SUMMER UTAH CHRONICLE mion THURSDAY JUNE 5, 2003 THE CHRONICLE'S VIEW UTRAC1N6- - International Students SICES'' VISIT THG. ANNEX &LblNG- Need to Be Recognized not work on assumptions about a culture that have been learned through American pop culture. The International Week ASUU has planned for September is a years. for the student governchance The International Center does ment to redeem itself. a great job of welcoming students One of the platforms the new from around the world and prohas promised is administration make them to activities viding student on camfeel like a part of campus, but few every embracing and out to reach other organizations promoting diversity at pus U. While the this vital demographic. many international While the U should continue to students were upset last year recruit minorities who live in when they were not consulted Utah, the campus needs to about events concerning their embrace the diversity of those various cultures, this year's stuwho have traveled thousands of dent leaders have made an effort to approach the International Stumiles to share their culture with dent Council and get input from thcU students who know their cultures Events such as last year's Culture Shock Week, sponsored by best. Valerie Green, international the Associated Students of the student of Utah's adviser, summed up the Diversity University that. do student week's do The not Board, government leaders' stereowell. effort events simply perpetuated "It's good to see that an admintypes of different cultures Asian istration made a promise and are Day featured origami and little now really following through," else which is not what diversity she said. is about. The new student leaders are off The Pacific Islander Day and to a good start by trying to break dance did feature Latino Day culdown the barriers that exist groups from the respective tures, but the activities still between ASUU and many other ignored the diversity we have groups on campus including international students. here on campus. If they continue this effort, they If ASUU wanted to know what life is like in Asia, ask one of the could create a strong sense of hundreds of Asian students roamcommunity at the U, which is a d can around change. ing campus. Groups U's international is a huge part of the but it is a group that has been ignored for many The STUDENT SPEAK-OU- T How Do You Feel About the Pride Day Parade? They can do whatever they want. I Steve Brienholt think it is fine to have a parade. When do I get to have a holiday? Sophomore, Communications Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of The Daily Utah Chronicle Editorial Board. Editorial columns and letters to the editor are strictly the opinions of the author. The forum created on the Opinion Page is one based on vigorous debate, while at the same time demanding tolerance and respect. Material defamatory to an individual or group because of race, ethnic background, gender, appearance or sexual orientation will be edited or will not be published. Grant Gilmore Junior, Communications much-neede- think it's awesome. I wish it would have been advertised so more could have planned on attending, I Jenna support it. We need more diversity in Utah. Even if you don't support homosexual rights, you should sup- port celebrating differences. I totally Miller Sophomore, Anthropology Reed Hallstrom Junior, English It's gay. Andrea Nunez Sophomore, Education It's Time to Stop Flushing Money Down the Toilet Water Conservation Campaigns Aren't as Effective as Needed As st sage. It is In an interview Department of Natural Resources made these observations: "Residents over-wattypically their lawns by as much as 18 percent of the net irrigation requirement. Lawns can be watered at about 75 percent of their net irrigation require ment and still be aesthet- KSL, Hollie Brown of the of Water Division Resources stated, "People tend to think that it's not their problem, it's everyone else's. That they're not the ones that are over watering their lawns, that it's the neighMike Felix Chronicle Opin ion Columnist bor's problem, but we're just here to say that it is when we run out because ically pleasing." everyone's problem The report continues, "Outdoor watering is of water, everyone will be affected." often applied based on personal habit rather In an interview with KSL, Jeff Niermeyer, the than system efficiency or the irrigation needs of Deputy Director of the Salt Lake Department of turf. Therefore, outdoor irrigation is the perfect Public Utilities, explained, "During the summer, to arena for educational type programs and incenarea users consume tive pricing. Research in Salt Lake City indigallons of water a day." So what can be done to get people to better cates potential water conservation outdoors is over 25,000 gallons per household per year (24 conserve water? Sean Stewart, a political sciresults, potential ence major, offered this solution: "I think the gped). Based on survey-wid- e is conservation indoors estimated at 20,000 galproblem in Utah is that they pay for the water lons per household per year (16 gped)." with property taxes and hide a lot of the costs At times people can be so wrapped up in havthat way. With Utah being such a dry state, I think it would be much better to take away the ing the perfect yard that they use too much water, when, as previously explained by the property taxes for water and open it up so that could of Natural Resources, they Department people are charged for the water they use. This use 75 percent of normal water used for yards would spread the cost of those who abuse water and the lawn would still look good. conservation policies to the actual users and it could be set up as the more you use the higher Unfortunately, we are forced to rely on public relations campaigns to change the poor habits the rate you are charged." of consumers. These campaigns are obviously Perhaps if it cost the individual abuser more, ineffective and have done little to curb wasteful they would waste less. Typically, money tends to convince people to change. practices. Water conservation is not just a problem of Greg Davis, an Environmental Studies major, watering inappropriately. All of us can improve agrees that those who use more water should our water usage. pay for it. "Wrater conservation is a good thing er we all know, we have been in a drought in Utah for the past few years. To this lack of water, state and local government officials have pushed for water conservation. According to the Utah state government Web site for water conservation, Utah is the second-driestate in the nation, only receiving an average of 13 inches of precipitation a year yet Utah is second in the nation in water consumption. On average, Utahns use 293 gallons of water per person per day. Yet after all the "Slow the Flow" commercials and local weathermen preaching about our lack of water, there are still some people who don't seem to get the mes- suggested that to conserve water we shouldn't water our lawns between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.; yet as you drive around Salt Lake City, you constantly see people watering during the hot afternoon hours. Even worse, when it does rain, you see homes and businesses writh their sprinklers on. It is amazing that people can be so ignorant habits. How could a person in their water-us- e possibly explain why he or she waters the lawn during a rainstorm? In its July 2002 report, "Identifying Residen- - with tial Water Use," the Utah 210-milli- on 220-milli- because there is not a lot of water in Utah right now," he said. "Those who misuse or waste water should be severely punished or shot. I have no problem if the' cost of water increases. You should pay for what you use, and since we are in a drought, if you use more than pay more, every little bit helps. I am afraid that people are going to wait until the government has to enforce new water laws and regulations before they begin to consider water conservation." Under the current system in Utah, the state government is subsidizing the use of water. It is time that the state discontinues this practice and forces consumers to pay for what they use. Until consumers are able to feel the much-talke- d about pains of the drought, rather than work to resolve the problem, they will continue to perpetuate the problem. Substantive conservation means can be taken immediately to begin conserving water. From improving our watering practices to simply taking a shorter shower, much can be done to help solve the problem. The government report says that those who water with a hose tend to water 33 percent under the net irrigation requirement. The report also explains that manual sprinkler systems use just under the net requirement and that sprinkler systems with timers over-watby 44 percent. It appears that either manual sprinkling systems or use of a hose is the best way to conserve water. Due to the desert conditions here in Utah, we all need to do our part to conserve water. For further information and conservation tips, check out the Utah state government Web er site at www.conservewater.utah.gov. mfelixchronicle.utah.edu |