LETTERS: THINK ABOUT ENVIRONMENT

To the editor:

In the 1950s and 1960s the Missouri-Mississippi river system was compared to an open sewer and was called the colon of America. Cities were dumping raw sewage into these rivers and their tributaries, and industries were pouring chemical poisons into the rivers to the extent that the cancer rate in New Orleans was 13 times greater than at the headwaters of the rivers.

Concerned citizens began to contact their congressmen regarding the terrible conditions of the rivers throughout the country, and they began to join organizations devoted to environmental issues. A new name was coined for these concerned people: environmentalists.

After considerable badgering of congressmen by the environmentalists and their organizations, laws were written to reduce the pollution of our waters. As our population and the number of industries increase, the pollution of our rivers can only increase with the present laws in effect, so it is for this reason we need ever more rigid laws. The health of our nation depends on them.

In 1970 St. Louis finally constructed a primary sewage-treatment plant that removes the solids, but only because of cash incentives by the federal government. Other cities did the same about this time. Perhaps five to 10 years later, secondary sewage-treatment plants were built along the Missouri-Mississippi river system that converted the remaining liquid sewage into inorganic compounds (minerals) in the process of decay. However, sewage-treatment plants do not remove chemicals, poisonous or otherwise.

Water-treatment plants that treat water before going into the cities remove mud and many impurities by filtering and by using certain compounds, plus powdered charcoal. The water-treatment plants now do a considerably better job than before environmental laws were in effect. The water used by cities could be better, but people are not willing to pay the price for producing top-quality water which is mostly used for washing clothes and cars and flushing toilets.

People who use water from wells or have special filters at the sink for drinking water or who use bottled water believe they don't have to be concerned about the quality of the nation's water. But they definitely should be concerned.

We all buy food at stores prepared by hundreds of food-processing plants around the country that use river water or use water from reservoirs fed by rivers. Huge amounts of water are necessary for washing the food and otherwise preparing it. The water packed in canned corn, beans and cherries can come from most any river in the country. The instant coffee and tea, cereal, potato chips, cookies and bread that we eat may be dry, but the water has evaporated leaving chemicals behind. Beer, soft drinks and other canned drinks are composed of water taken from some river. Frozen foods are washed in river water before freezing. Even bottled water can come from a city water supply. A recent article in the Missourian stated that 25 percent of the bottled water in stores is from city water, despite what the label implies. In short, everyone consumes water or its remaining chemicals taken from dozens or hundreds of rivers all over the nation.

Historically, Republicans mainly have voted against environmental laws or have voted to weaken them as they did in the present Republican-controlled Congress because they might retard corporate profits. Interestingly, however, after 25 to 30 years of environmental laws we have a very strong economy, the stock market is at record highs and the chief executive officers of corporations are receiving astronomical salaries. Also historically, Democrats mainly have written and voted for environmental laws to protect the health and welfare of the people. Judging from what we saw in the present Republican-controlled Congress, we can expect many laws to be weakened or eliminated if we get another such Congress and a Republican president.

It is in our best interests to look past the minor issues in this election and consider the Big Picture of what is best for the nation, our health. We need people in government at both the national and state levels who will strengthen environmental laws that will benefit everyone. Corporate America is doing well enough as it is.

RUSS KULLBERG

Cape Girardeau