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I found Mr. Henry Abbott’s letter to the editor (regarding the beautification of our campus) both fickle and repugnant. Occidental College already allots a majority of our operating budget to maintain the grounds of the campus with seasonal, non-native, high maintenance, water leaching, yet lovely plants. In fact, as I last heard on the campus rumor mill, we spend more money on maintaining our grounds than we do on academic staff salaries. While I greatly appreciate the wonderful sights and scents that our immaculate garden of a campus provides, I hardly think it is fiscally or environmentally responsible to continuously change the landscaping on seasonal whims. Furthermore, as a response to Mr. Abbott’s suggestion that there should be grass beneath the trees in the quad, do you realize how much water grass seed or sod needs to establish? A LOT! Students already pass over the benches in the quad, why should we waste our preciously puny endowment to provide them with a plant that offers little in enjoyment and takes resources from a city that is already struggling to obtain enough water for its residents?
Mr. Abbott, shame on you. You have demonstrated little concern for the natural habitat of Los Angeles and more specifically Eagle Rock in your letter demanding more green. As a sophomore, you should appreciate that it doesn’t rain here often and also, that our grounds crew already works very hard. Although you may feel entitled to request large-scale, irresponsible and unnecessary changes to our immediate environment and more work from campus employees, I think that you should instead ask your fellow students to occupy existing space on warm days. In a time which we are surrounded by messages to “go green,” I find your demands ignorant, shallow and offensive.
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