Group discusses environment

Members of the Penn Environmental Group want to stuff the new President's mailbox. University students gathered in Houston Hall last Tuesday to discuss their plans to launch a massive letter writing campaign to Bill Clinton and to foster environmental awareness on campus this semester. PEG wants to encourage the University community to inform Clinton of the need to preserve America's ancient forests -- the home to trees which date back 500 to 1,000 years. Green Corps, a national non-profit environmental organization, is working with the group to coordinate the campaign. The group is also fighting a controversial battle to legalize hemp, the leaves which grow atop the marijuana plant. College junior Steve Ross, co-chair of PEG, claims that "one acre of hemp produces the same amount of paper as 4.1 acres of trees . . . and hemp doesn't destroy the soil." Praising hemp for its medicinal value as well, Ross and other University environmentalists plan to organize a rally next fall to broadcast the concerns of hemp activists. If Ross' vision materializes, it would mark the second time PEG sponsored such a rally. The group co-sponsored one near Independence Hall in October. PEG's other goals include expanding its CUPPS ("can't use plastic, paper, or styrofoam") mug program, reducing water use in campus residences, and creating a Penn Earth Day. CUPPS are oversized plastic mugs designed to be reused by students at participating area eateries. Currently, Allegro's, The Roost, and several food court establishments grant discounts to CUPPS users. The University-supported program provided free mugs to incoming freshman this year. Other members of the University community may purchase mugs from the Penn Environmental Group for $3 each. In the past, PEG has worked with the University to eliminate the use of styrofoam from Dining Services and to begin a campus-wide recycling program. Co-chair of the group and College senior Louise Melchor was "totally psyched" that nearly 40 people showed up at the meeting and stressed that the "whole focus of the Penn Environmental Group is to increase environmental awareness among Penn students." College freshman Danny Gerber said that he believes the group has "lots of good ideas" and hopes that many University students decide to take advantage of the CUPPS program. Gerber founded an environmental group at his high school which encouraged the recycling of paper and aluminum cans.

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