4 - Friday, February 26, 2010 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com E-MAIL DANIELAT DWG{)LD UMICH.EDU C MICt ian 4 3atlm Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 h. tothedaily@umich.edu DANIEL GOLD T JACOB SMILOVITZ EDITOR IN CHIEF RACHEL VAN GILDER EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR MATT AARONSON MANAGING EDITOR Part of me can't help feeling like I'm already on break. wi ' .1.' / \ Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solelythe views of their authors. Sustainable knowledge 'U' needs more eco-friendly education programs T hough University students have a reputation for being green, they have had limited academic opportunities to learn about environmental practices. But a new University program aims to provide students with a chance to study sustain- ability. The creation of the new Sustainability Scholar certification program in partnership with the Graham Environmental Sustain- ability Institute will provide a series of courses to educate students in sustainability. The program shows encouraging progress in the University's commitment to environmentalism. Students should take advantage of this opportunity to learn about sustainable practices, and the University should expand its efforts to promote sustainability among the student body and its graduates. Less food, more thought As reported by the Daily on Wednes- day, the University recently launched the Undergraduate Sustainability Scholars Program with the help of the Graham Institute, which is focused on a sustain- able campus. Students will be educated about the nuances of a sustainable world over the course of a ten-credit program. Seven colleges at the University are con- tributing to the project's curriculum, giv- ing this initiative a truly holistic approach to sustainability. Students who complete the program will receive a certificate of completion as well as a notation on their transcript as a Sustainability Scholar. The capstone course of the program is a "place- based course" at Camp Davis in Jackson Hole, Wyo., in South America or in East Africa. Sustainable technology contributes to slowing the destructive progress of climate change and saves energy and resources. Sustainability reduces waste, which ultimately reduces the amount of harmful greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. It conserves limited natu- ral resources. Here at the University, using sustainable resources could save money and reduce costs. The University's new program encour- ages environmentally-friendly action by educating students in the value of sustain- ability. Giving students the knowledge to encourage sustainability will lead to increased implementation over time. And including students from across disciplines in the program ensures that its effects will be widespread. And the program is a valuable opportu- nity for students. The Graham Institute partnership will produce graduates who are knowledgeable about sustainability and environmentally-friendly practices - knowledge they can apply in everyday life and in their careers. And the sustainability scholars will graduate not only with class- room sustainability under their belts, but also with hands-on experience. The Sustainability Scholar program demonstrates an important development in environmentalism at the University, but more can be done. Though the University has said that it is committed to environ- mental efforts on campus, it hasn't always backed up its words with action. It has been surprisingly reluctant to make new buildings, like North Quad, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design- certified. Only two University buildings have LEED certification. And the Univer- sity's Planet Blue program, which seeks to increase recycling and save energy, hasn't been implemented in all campus buildings. The University must take more action to create a greener, more sustainable campus. Initiatives like the new sustainability program sponsored by the Graham Insti- tute give students the knowledge they need to adopt environmentally-friendly prac- tices and help to preserve the planet. The University should start more initiatives like this and commit itself to implement- ing environmentally friendly measures on campus wherever possible. Atypicalbreakfast at the Univer- sity might include a latte and pastry from Espresso Royale - perhaps half your optimal daily calo- rie intake before you even make it to your first class. With no real time for lunch, you grab a bagel from Bert's on your way to dis- cussion. When you finally make it back LEAH to your room, you POTKIN pop open a bag of chips and a soda and prepare for your daily nap. Waking up two hours later, you finish off the opened bag of chips. Ten minutes later, you walk into the dining hall with a friend and make a beeline for the pizza station. Before you have time to catch your breath, your tray is overflowing with a mix of every food group imagin- able. You're finally full but the smell of chocolate-chip cookies coming out of the oven lures you to the extensive dessert station, so you take a handful of treats and head back to your room to shower before a night out. Five shots, two beers, a box of cheesy bread and a few Insomnia cookies later, you finally pass out in bed. College eating at its finest. Wolverines, like most college stu- dents, can't escape the plethora of junk food readily available on cam- pus. But that gooey Insomnia cookie or savory box of cheesy bread might not only add inches to students' waistlines, but may also shorten their life expectancies as well - sink your teeth into that. A recent article in Time magazine suggests .that cutting back on calo- ries could slow the aging process and extend the human life span, a not so desirable finding for food-crazed col- lege students (Eat Less, Live Longer?, 02/11/2010). I know many college- aged students are blessed with metab- olisms that can handle calorie-packed foods, but they should still be aware of the risks associated with high-cal- orie diets, and maybe reconsider their next late-night trip to NYPD or call to Pizza House. Though the Comprehensive Assess- ment ofLong-TermEffectsofreducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE) study (on which the Time article is based) at Tufts University is still ongoing, results are likely to find that calorie restriction will indeed add years to people's lives. But unfortunately, as college students, we're almost expect- ed to eat poorly - we're on tight bud- gets, are inclined to drink and pizza is supposedly our favorite food. True, true and true. Not to mention that eat- ing is a prime form of socializing, and study snacks are a near necessity for academic achievement. But it's never too soon to start eat- ing right, and the emerging evidence about longevity associated with reduced calorie intake, combined with the many already proven health bene- fits that go hand-in-hand with healthy eating, cannot be ignored. So what's a Wolverine to do? Think. We've got some smart cook- ies (no pun intended) here at the Uni- versity, so we might as well use our smarts to know when to avoid high calorie snacks. I do realize that it may be impossible for college students to restrict our calorie intake to the extent the study suggests (by approximately 25 percent), but we can begin to think more about our food choices, as they will inevitably affect our futures. Stu- dents should begin by paying atten- tion to the pieces of paper indicating the calorie content of food in the din- ing halls (yes, they say more than the name of the food), avoiding ordering late-night and opting for healthier choices at least some of the time. Keeping granola bars, fresh fruit and other healthier snacks in the room certainly wouldn't hurt either. And cutting back will not only save calories, but it will help save cash, too. Cutting calories could extend your life expectancy. I'll admit, when I first read the Time article, I thought it was a bit out there. We've all been warned of ,(or possibly experienced) the "fresh- man 15" and are informed about the obesity epidemic in the U.S. But as I continued to read the Time article, I was impressed with the amount of concrete evidence supporting the articles' premise and even put down the bag of chips I had (ironically) been munching on. And while my life expectancy is not a major concern of mine, or most other college students, (making it through midterms alive currently takes the cake), it's certain- ly something to add to the list. Therefore, in a never-ending battle to reduce the stress in my life, I've decided that by simply taking baby steps (and baby bites), I can (and should) save money and calories and add years to my life - and so can we all. So Wolverines, think before you eat, and I'll be seeing you all at our 100-year reunion (sans hors d'oeuvres of course). - Leah Potkin can be reached at lpotkin@umich.edu. 0 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be fewer than 300 words and must include the writer's full name and University affiliation. All submissions become property of the Daily. We do not print anonymous letters. Send letters to tothedaily@umich.edu. ALEXANDER FRANZ AND ANTHONY CERRATO I Big government, big debt EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Nina Amilineni, Jordan Birnholtz, William Butler, Nicholas Clift, Michelle DeWitt, Brian Flaherty, Jeremy Levy, Erika Mayer, Edward McPhee, Emily Orley, Harsha Panduranga, Alex Schiff, Asa Smith, Brittany Smith, Robert Soave, Radhika Upadhyaya, Laura Veith SEND LETTERS To: TOTHEDAILY@UMICH.EDU Dingell has a distinguished Term limits would hinder career as US. House rep. growth ofleaders in Congress TO THE DAILY: Chris Koslowski makes several false claims surrounding term limits, Michigan politics and Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) in his column this week (Political dynasties, m 02/23/2010). Such claims perpetuate decades of misconceptions surrounding American politics. First, it is common knowledge that the Michi- gan state government is severely broken. A bipar- tisan consensus has arisen between legislators and non-partisan commentators that the source of Michigan's stagnant government is its strict term limits. Former Rep. Joe Schwartz (D-Mich.), a pro- fessor of public policy at the University, routinely states that the era of term limits in Michigan has created a disconnected, non-functioning legisla- ture that follows party loyalty and special inter- ests more than the will of the voters. Term limits would be similarly harmful on the national level. Second, the claim that Dingellought to be oust- ed because Congress is hugely unpopular is logi- cally false. Dingell is overwhelmingly re-elected every two years. If there were ever a hint of cor- ruption, malaise or unfairness, voters could use a very simple tool to limit Dingell: the ballot box. Finally, it's reprehensible that the author attempts to tarnish Dingell's service. Dingell has been Michigan's most fierce advocate in Congress and his work can be seen every day in a cleaner environment, safer food and toys, and high paying jobs. Dingell's years of hard work have won him the respect and clout with his col- leagues that a young representative would have to work decades to even begin to rival. The era of term limits has broken the Michi- gan legislature. Our state is devoid of leaders and our annual budgetary standoff is only the most visible example of the cracks in our democracy. We ought to support representa- tives like Dingell who commit every day of their lives to creating good public policy for their district and our nation. Nathaniel Eli Coats Styer LSA senior TO THE DAILY: In Chris Koslowski's last column, he claims that we would be better off as a nation if our representatives in Washington were lim- ited to two or three terms (Political dynasties, 02/23/2010). As someone who spends at the least a significant portion of his year in Michi- gan, I would expect Koslowski to know how badly term limits have hurt this state. First, limits would prevent anyone from becoming an experienced leader in govern- ment. This would be done by limiting the practice they can get in their position while navigating the complicated task of governing on the federal level. Furthermore, by institut- ing term limits you take away the ability of leg- islators to see projects through to completion. Along with that, you remove the threat of con- sequences for their blunders that aren't imme- diately exposed. If representatives are limited to only two terms, then what is their incentive to do any- thing or even abide by ethics rules once they are a lame duck? If you take away the threat. of long-term political repercussions - such as loss of a future election - then mischief ensues. In Michigan, we have seen such choices take place in the form of using tobacco settlement money to plug budget deficits, endorsing envi- ronmentally hazardous industrial mining per- mits and failing to balance budgets or plan for the long-term welfare of the state. Representa- tives with no future to worry about have little to lose politically and thus fail to work in the best interest of their constituents. I am not saying that representatives like John Dingell (D-Mich.) should have free reign to serve in the House until they drop dead on the floor, but I do think it is the responsibil- ity of the voters to elect the best candidate for their district and if a dynasty candidate becomes entrenched and loses focus then it is up to the voters to elect someone else. Tim McMacken LSA junior Matthew Green's recent column conveniently overlooks the enormous costs of federal spending policies and ignores the long-term strength of growing the economy from the bottom-up (Get real about economy, 02/21/2010). To get seri- ous about fixing the economy, entitlement programs need to be drastically reformed and a climate for dynamic economic growth needs to be re-established in the United States. There is no question that the national debt must be elimi- nated, but we need to know what the root causes really are. While Green blames the Bush tax cuts and the War on Ter- ror for part of the $12.4 trillion of national debt, he doesn't mention the exploding unfunded obligations to Social Security and Medicare, which accrue an incredible $65 trillion to total U.S. liabilities, according to a recent report released by the U.S. Treasury. The scope of the problem is much worse than Green admits, and his proposed solutions do not have the muscle to overcome it. Raising taxes won't dig us out. Starting today, the gov- ernment could force a 100-percent tax rate on every good and service made in the United States for four and a half years (assuming 2009 GDP), and still not have enough rev- enue to wipe out the debt. And any substantial increase in personal income, corporate, capital gains, sales or inheri- tance tax rates inevitably leads to lower revenue over time, as greater costs discourage economic activity. This the- ory was popularized by Nobel Prize-winning economist Arthur Laffer. Large corporations and wealthy individuals, who are always targeted for the next tax increase, are also the groups most capable of relocating to countries where friendlier tax rates exist. That throws the ultimate tax bur- den on middle and lower-class citizens. More government spending prolongs the pain. When the government spends $787 billion (as it did in last year's stimulus bill), it taxes citizens, crowds tight credit markets or simply prints money, inevitably leading to substantial inflation. Sure, jobs may be created in the short term, but these jobs by definition cannot exist without continued government spending, which has spiraled out of control. No net value is created - money is simply transferred from one side of the economy to the other. Keeping that money in the private sector, however, allows investors to fuel the best opportunities in our economy. With more money avail- able for lending and personal investment, the stage is set for wider and more stable growth in the future. This also translates into greater long-term employment. Using the situation of a college freshman as an analogy, if a student's family can keep more of its own money to begin with, it doesn't need to take on as much or any debt to send their kid to school. The only way to conquer the debt is by making govern- ment smaller. Its current size is simply unsustainable, and the bills are coming due soon. Entitlements must be changed. Creating personal savings account options for Social Security and health care allows citizens to control their own money. Think about Michigan's former Promise scholarships - if students had the chance to take a lump sum after college and put itin a savings account, theywould certainly have a lot more money than the cancelled checks they ended up with. As more and more citizens live off their own accounts, the demands on federal programs would ease in the coming decades. Streamlined departments and budgets will also improve the government's long-term structure, butthey are not the complete solution. Massive government revenue growth is needed, but not from repressively higher tax rates. As President (and Dem- ocrat) John F. Kennedy claimed, a lower tax burden spurs overall economic activity and federal revenues, stating, "a rising tide lifts all boats." After lowering the top marginal income tax rate from 70 percent to 28 percent, the Reagan administration oversaw annualized nominal GDP growth of 9.4 percent despite two recessions. With lower spending to match, cutting or eliminating taxes for all paying citi- zens would unearth monumental productivity. Americans would be free to spend more of their money as they see fit, generating a multiplying economic effect without the long- term debt created by deficit spending. Our national debt is the result of decades of structur- ally unsound government. The answer is not another $1 billion stimulus or another entitlement program. We can't spend like a reckless college student, accumulating debt we cannot manage or repay. The course of government must fundamentally change, or it will collapse under the weight of its own excess. It is not our civic duty to mindlessly pay higher taxes: It's our government's duty to manage itself responsibly. Alexander Franz and Anthony Cerrato are Business juniors. 0 The Daily is looking for diverse, passionate, strong student writers to join the Editorial Board. Editorial Board members are responsible for discussing and writing the editorials that appear on the left side of the opinion page. E-MAIL RACHEL VAN GILDER AT RACHELVG@UMICH.EDU FOR MORE INFORMATION. 4 k