Joke of the Day

I've decided that the Wofford main page is nothing sort of Communist propaganda. When it's not stretching the truth, then it's flat out lying. Take what's been on the last few days. It's headlined, "Wofford Recyclers with a couple of typical Wofford students riding the new "green" bikes up Campus Drive with that glorious fountain spraying up good will and hope and studiousness. Underneath the headline is

"Wofford Recyclers try out the new campus bicycles, aimed at encouraging more exercise and reducing gasoline consumption. The bike program is just one element of the college's green initiatives that include renewed emphasis on recycling and lowering energy use."

Well. Where to start? Let me pick up my pen of wrath and take it sentence by sentence. First of all, it makes the assumption if A, then B. Bike riding (A) obviously leads to recycling (B), if you are a Wofford student. I doubt half of those people in that picture have ever recycled anything in their lives.

I thoroughly and absolutely support environmental awareness and going green, but I think Wofford administration needs a little reality check. These new bikes are certainly not encouraging more exercise. MOST students use them so they can get up just a little bit later and bike to class to save time, while plowing over on-time, conscientious walkers like myself. It is a vehicle to aid in laziness. Secondly, what is this "reducing" gasoline consumption? I don't think any students have ever drove their car from Olin to Old Main before these bikes came. Our campus is simply too small to really utilize them to their fullest. Walking from one end of the campus takes only about five minutes at a brisk pace. Here, walking would probably be more strenuous exercise than 30 seconds of bike riding down a hill. Students still drive their cars from their dorm to the bookstore or downtown.

So, where is this renewed emphasis on recycling and lowering energy use? There's been more recycling bins, yes, at the urging of a select few. The Wofford Planeteers have been working and planning, but that group only has about 15 members. I haven't received any notices from Wofford College that encourage students to turn off their lights when they leave the room, or take shorter showers to conserve water. Simple things that could have been done earlier are bogged down by bureaucrats trying to figure out what body part to scratch next. Quit lying to yourself, Wofford. If you're a green campus then I am white. Wait, let me check in the mirror. Aww man. Still Chinese.

Comments

[Anonymous]

I could not agree more! This campus isn't big enough to support this program and there are a whole lot better programs that make more sense.

All the food that's wasted what about creating a worm compost farm? Between Converse and Wofford I'm sure enough cooking oil is thrown out that the entire fleet of maintenance vehicles could be run off clean, free, biodiesel. You mentioned waste of power, why not encourage people to turn off computers at night or cut off lights when they aren't around? How about some educational environmental speakers? A tree planting program around Spartanburg maybe? There are a hundred ideas that have bigger impact and you don’t have to worry about people stealing or destroying bicycles.

Some people think global warming isn't happening and we don't have to worry about it and that's ok they are entitled to their ignorant opinion, but still people need to be more responsible to take care of the planet we live on no matter if we are turning it into a furnace or not.

This is an institute of higher learning. Shouldn’t we be doing more to educate and provide awareness instead of promoting laziness, not walking, and less responsible, not getting up for class in time? You won’t ever see me ride one of these bicycles! I rather enjoy the walks around this beautiful campus and the exercise they provide. And if you do decide to ride, please don’t run me over because I’m not paying attention to you but to the birds and squirrels playing in the trees.