Google-eyed
Biodynamically, as monoliths in the outbacks of Boulder, IBM can be likened to a hidden and somewhat forgotten prairie dog town, NCAR an eagle-eyed aerie, and Storage Tech a fox literally “gone to ground.” Within town, the University can be regarded as a multi-stemmed-and-headed mushroom, a growing fungus, or, more negatively, from its constant expansion and lack of concern for the wellbeing of its host, a spreading cancer. How Google will reveal itself remains to be seen. Will it be a wart or a flowering garden? Time will tell.
Robert Porath/Boulder
Benzene at Bella Romero: What’s the big deal?
In the most recent of controversies at Bella Romero Academy, concerned parents, neighbors and environmental groups across the state raised concerns about elevated levels of benzene detected at the school. On Nov. 25, 2019, the state’s health department publicly released that earlier in the month, the states air monitoring equipment stationed at the school detected elevated levels of benzene. The federal short-term regulation for benzene emissions is 9 ppb, while the benzene detected near Bella Romero was at 10 ppb.
As a result, much controversy has brewed in the comment sections of articles across the state. Parents and neighbors are frustrated that they were not notified of elevated levels of benzene until 21 days after the incident occurred. Oil and gas employees are disgruntled by the fact that it was an “isolated incident” and that energy sectors are the most regulated sectors in the state. We get it, there is a high need for jobs here.What is questionable is the way that the City of Greeley and Weld County have responded to other forms of benzene, and yet there has been a total disregard for the benzene at Bella Romero, and the benzene brewing all over the rest of the county for that matter.
An example of the hypocrisy comes to mind, with a recent smoking ban implemented by the City. After several years of work the employees at the Weld County Department of Public Health and the Environment, the Youth Commision, and the City of Greeley “Voted to extend smoking bans to, public ball fields, pools and splash parks, and playgrounds.” The vote was backed by a survey conducted by the Youth Commission, and according to survey results, “87% of respondents supported a smoking ban on playgrounds, and 69% said smoking should be banned in parks.” (The Greeley Tribune)
The irony of this ban, and the resident approval rates of this ban is that benzene is one of the deadliest components of smoking, and second-hand smoke. “The average smoker takes in about 1.8 milligrams of benzene a day” (Toxicological profile for Benzene from CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances). Why then does the City and County take action on banning smoking in order to improve the air quality for our children, but takes no action to prevent benzene near schools such as Bella Romero? 1.3 milligrams of benzene emitted per smoker on a playground versus 10 ppm of benzene emitted next to a local school’s playground?
Sure benzene can be found in a variety of other products too, but unless our children are huffing glue, pesticides and detergents, they are not taking anywhere near the risk of exposure to benzene as they are when they simply step outside to play in their own backyards, or on school playgrounds near an oil and gas site. We won’t know the outcome of their exposure until years down the line.
It really is a shame that our local health department is limited in what preventive air quality measures they can implement.
Perhaps the department is limited because of the fact that the Oil and Gas Liaison’s office is located right next to the Air Quality Inspection office in the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment building?
To conclude, the next time you are concerned about someone sparking up at the park your kids play at, remember the concerns of the parents at Bella Romero are legitimate too. Just because an industry feeds the children in this county, doesn’t mean it should be given a free pass to expose them to known carcinogens. Where is the compensation?
Megan Meyer/Former Intern, Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment
Economic growth does not equal Earth destruction
It’s difficult to make sense out of Paul Danish’s recent column (Re: “Another Year, Another Record and COP25,” Danish Plan, Dec. 5, 2019). He erratically quotes statistics ranging from atmospheric CO2 levels to a useless remark that CO2 varies “day to day” (showing charming confusion between days and seasons) to the Pliocene epoch to increasing world population. He provides no coherent connections. He does accept that CO2 is causing disasters. But then he concludes that because people enjoy fossil fuels, we’re doomed to live with drowned coastal cities and drought-stricken, burned-out continental interiors. Get over it, everybody, seems to be his conclusion.
Blaming foreigners in India and China (of course), he says, “…the world will ditch fossil fuels when the alternatives offer superior performance and price…” That remark is especially egregious because it’s a lie that carbon is cheaper than other energy. It just looks that way when we spew its poisonous, heat-inducing waste into the air for free while stupidly believing there’s no consequence for that.
Danish is right about one thing: Our CO2 warming problem is daunting. But his resignation to forfeiting the fight is pathetic. By his light the Continental Army should have seen reason and surrendered at Valley Forge. Aiming for first place on the Moon was clearly hopeless because Russia had the jump with bigger rockets. The Patent Office ought to close now because everything worthwhile has been invented, seems to be his philosophy.
Here’s the reality: Carbon emissions can go down while economies grow. We have the know-how and the guts to do it. We just need adequate leadership nationally and world-wide. Danish with other conservatives should do his part, quit crying like a baby about how hopeless everything is, and join the rest of us in the fight for a brighter, and cooler, future instead.
Frank Sanders/Nederland
