Friday, April 26, 2013

Tragic Timing


When tragedies happen, human nature obligates that we jump to conclusions. This has been observed in recent news with the many speculations about the Bostom bombings and, in this article from the Statesman, the West, Texas fertilizer plant explosion. Jack Ohman, a cartoonist from California, came up with a rather insensitive piece referring to the recent explosion as a way to scorn Governor Perry's "marketing of Texas' loose regulations".

While I understand the job entails evoking emotion and thought out of readers, its requirements do not disclude a sense of empathy. While I never worked as a cartoonist, I have some college and high school journalism experience during which my staff members and I constantly reminded ourselves of where we fell on the spectrum between emotional involvement and objective observation. As a somewhat experienced editorial writer, I've given myself credibility to critique Ohman's artwork for its half-baked platform and harsh nature.

My mother works for the company that insures the plant that exploded. She briefed me on the details of what happened and its most likely cause. She told me that the plant is in fact inspected yearly by state agencies, and the explosion was likely caused by a lack of knowledge on the part of West's volunteer firefighters. Similarly, I blame the thought behind this cartoon on Ohman's lack of knowledge about the explosion. It's apparent that false information spreads even faster than it used to nowadays due to social media and new technologies (Like when CNN and other credible news stations falsely tweeted last week that a Boston bombing suspect had been arrested). I'm sure that very few "averages Joes" (and even politicans, law enforcement, etc.) ever are 100% informed on the topics for which they form opinions. When those uninformed people manifest those opinions via public forums, it merely fuels the vicious cycle of frustration and confusion.

Even if I could offer credit to Ohman for a fact-based argument, his methods of articulating his ideas are flawed. It's much too soon to depict the West disaster in the caustic, blunt, and condescending matter that political cartoons so often do. To exploit its unfortunate, sad, and violent result solely in order to further trash Perry's decisions is spineless. I feel that a cartoon like Ohman's would settle much better with the public if stalled until after the immediate impact of this upset subsides.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Big Bad Bag Ban?

For the Blog Stage 5 assignment, my colleague Maria Flores posted an editorial about why Austin should not ban plastic bags, taking the opposite point of view that I took in my Blog Stage 5 post. I respect the fact that others have managed to form an opinion about this issue, as it is apathy which, I believe, is killing youth involvement in politics. However, I have to disagree with the points made as to why Austin is better off with plastic bags.

Maria states that Austin should not ban the bags because the issue affects the majority of Austinites. This is true, as I can't imagine very many people who never go grocery shopping (besides maybe the homeless). However, the ill effects of chronic plastic bag use radiate through Austin and beyond. This is not just a city issue; it's a global one that wreaks havoc on our planet's ecosystems above ground and pollute the space beneathe our feet.

Her second argument is that the reusable bags are too large compared to the plastic bags. I believe this is actually a gain, as bigger bags means more groceries can fit in each bag and the buyer will have less to carry. The unreasonable volume of plastic bags requires up to dozens of them to be used per grocery trip. National Geographic estimates here that between 500 billion and one trillion plastic bags are used each year worldwide, or about 8 billion pounds according to this article on Reuseit.com. While Maria's comment that plastic bags can be reused is true, more often than not the bags are thrown away or end up littering the environment. If thrown away, they'll end up in landfills, where Reuseit.com admits they can take a thousand years to degrade. If not properly disposed of, they will drift their way into oceans and twist around tree branches, polluting the Earth with toxic chemicals and potentially killing innocent creatures.

The level of product safety between the bags may differ slightly. I highly doubt product exposure or loss will be affected by switching to reusable bags. Cold or frozen goods may stay cold a little longer, however, since the handles of plastic bags can be tied into knots, keeping the temperature within them more stable. The argument that's risen about possible bacteria living in the reusable bags is the only reasonable one I've yet heard of for not using them. The Chicago Tribune reported here that much of the bacteria found in the bags is a result of using the bags to carry more than just food products (such as textbooks) and not regularly washing them. I understand it seems like a hassel to have to scrub-a-dub-dub the container you use to bring home your soaps and sponges, but it really is a breeze compared to many other household chores. Reusable bag buyers can wash their grocery bags regularly just like they wash their laundry (the Tribune states they can be machine washed, but I assume it depends on the material) or dishes.

Can you even imagine how much bacteria rests on the interior and exterior of the purses of millions of women in our country? Yet, no one has risen up in arms demanding they Clorox their Coach (I know plenty of women who carry bacteria-prone products in their purses, from make-up to food and drinks). Plastic bag advocates should stop pointing fingers at reusable bags and start pointing them instead at our food industry, in which bacteria growth most often starts, and at our own daily health habits, striving to better them in every possible way.

As far as the statement about "big plastic bags that are used to wrap big items like mattresses," I've never encountered anyone who's attempted to bag any item close to that size. There's been no ban on garbage ban use, which is what Maria seems to be referring to when she says "those [used] to dispose the trash or clean the yard".

Places like South Africa, Australia, and England have already either banned or taxed the use of plastic bags due to their excessesiveness as an "environmental nuisance", says National Geographic. There really is no better current alternative than to ditch these toxic products and jump on board toward a cleaner world. Small sacrifices will have to be made, but the outcome is worth them all.