OPINION TechNews STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY SINCE 1928 McCormick Tribune Campus Center Room 221 3201 South State Street Chicago, Illinois 60616 E-mail: editor@technewsiit.com Website: http://www.technewsiit.com TechNews STAFF Editor-in-Chief Assistant Editor Ryan Kamphuis Hannah Larson Campus Editor Utsav Gandhi A8E Editor Ryan Hynes Art Editor Adin Goings Sports Editor Ciaran Kohli-Lynch Copy Editors Kori Bowns Kristal Copeland Amber Kiefer Katie Peters Layout Editors Kori Bowns Karthik Kumar Swasti Khuntia Katie Peters Pranava Teja Surukuchi Rohit Vandanapu Distribution Manager Mike Purdy Business Manager Kori Bowns IT Manager Pranava Teja Surukuchi Financial Advisor Vickie Tolbert Faculty Advisor Gregory Pulliam MISSION STATEMENT The mission of TechNews is to promote student discussion and bolster the IIT community by providing a newspaper that is highly accessible, a stalwart ofjournalistic integrity, and a student forum. 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TechNews holds the right to deny any advertisement unsuitable for publication. Media Kits are available upon request. Ad space is limited and is taken on a first-come, first-serve basis. Contact the Business Manager at business@ technewsiit.com for more information. LOCAL 8 NATIONAL ADVERTISERS To place an ad, contact us via email at business@technewsiit.com. S'.' I.. i.. ILLINOIS INSTITUTE I// OF TECHNOLOGY opinion@technewsiit.com TechNews | Tuesday, September 18, 2012 Campus-wide ban on smoking unrealistic, difficult to enforce By Hannah Larson ASSISTANT EDITOR I am a smoker. You may have seen me lurking around academic buildings and the MTCC in between classes, smoking a cigarette or two. But a certain group of students is threatening to take this right away from me. Yes, I used the term “right” because it’s my right as a hu- man being to put whatever I want in my body, wherever I want, within legal limits. I repeat, I am a smoker, but a re- sponsible smoker. I stand 15 feet away from the entrance to any building (as mandated by Chicago law), throw my cigarette butts away in the provided containers, and make sure not to disturb anyone that is near me with my smoke. But there’s still a stigma against smokers, even those who follow the rules. I apologize, in utmost sincerity, to non-smokers who are offended by other smokers’ tendencies to not follow these laws. Non-smokers, ask them to move away from entrances, and point out the signs on our buildings that state the law. Don’t be afraid to enforce, and voice your right of a clear path to an entrance to a building. There is somebody from every part of IIT who smokes - Students, staff, and fac- ulty. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a cigarette next to Sodexo and janitorial staff. I appreciate the stressful jobs they do, and they’re more than entitled to a cigarette after cleaning and cooking for loads of college stu- dents. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 20% of the population that is 18 and over are smokers. The CDC also estimates that almost 30% of 18-24 year olds living in Illinois smoke. The percentage ofpeo- ple who smoke lessens as their age increases. People in favor of the non-smoking policy would use Ohio’s Miami University (MU) as a model of how to implement the campus-wide non-smoking policy. There are several key differences between MU and IIT. The first is the location of the campus. MU is located in Oxford, Ohio, with a population of about 20,000. Within Chicago’s city limits, there are about 3 million people, making us the third largest city in the United States. The Windy City and Oxford, Ohio have quite a few differences. People from the surrounding area often frequent IIT’s campus, and while I as- sume MU also has traffic from their surround- ing area, it can’t possibly be on the scale that IIT does. IIT is subject to the Smoke Free Il- linois Act (2008), which bans smoking inside all public places and workplaces. This includes offices, theaters, museums, libraries, educa- tional institutions, K-12 schools, commercial establishments, enclosed shopping centers, retail stores, restaurants, bars, private clubs and gaming facilities. IIT is also subject to the Chicago Clean Indoor Air Ordinance (2008), which is an extension of the above law, but in- cludes recreational facilities (such as enclosed sports areas/stadiums/swimming pools/ice and roller rinks/arcades/bowling alleys), con- cert halls, auditoriums, convention facilities, government buildings and vehicles, public transportation facilities, coin laundries, meet- ing rooms, public restrooms, reception areas, hallways and other common-use areas in pub- lic buildings, apartment buildings, and condo- minium buildings. The Chicago Clean Indoor Air Ordi- nance also prohibits smoking within 15 feet of an entrance to any of these establishments. IIT also has its own rules about smoking. Accord- ing to the Policies and Procedures Handbook about smoking, smoking can be banned from designated outside areas on IIT property. There are many positives that can be created with promoting a non-smoking envi- ronment, such as cleaner air, and reducing the litter around campus that comes from smok- ers. The absence of smoke on campus would increase the air-quality, and prevent smoke- related illnesses for everyone. The CDC also suggests that the promotion of a smoke-free environment quells habitual smokers’ patterns. All of the aforementioned are posi- tive goals, but the reality of attempting to enact a smoking ban show how fruitless it would be. The health affects of the exposure of second hand smoke are detrimental, but only in a con- fined environment, where smoking is happen- ing frequently. The duty to enforce these proposed rules would most likely fall on Public Safety’s already strained staff. They should be focused on protecting students, faculty, and staff from real dangers; i.e. robberies, erratic drivers, etc. on campus. I’m especially interested in how they would enforce this policy on the Quad. Public Safety, or the entity chosen to enforce this initiative, would not be able to enforce non-smoking on public sidewalks on campus (as long as they are adhering the 15- feet rule). Whatever policies that would be put into place would be de facto, rather than cam- pus enforced, because people would still be able to get away with it. The cost of this initiative would be better suited to fund something else. Perhaps the leaking that happens in SSV? Or aiding the SAP and their limited funds this semester? Even a few more Public Safety Officers on staff would be more beneficial than wasting institu- tional money on the non-smoking initiative. This is nothing short of discrimina- tion. There are smokers who are habitual users, and those who enjoy a cigarette or a cigar in their spare time. And I guarantee, with the im- pending colder weather, many people will cut down on their smoking. Please keep in mind, I am not pro- moting smoking in any way. Nor am I trying to peer pressure those that don’t, into this bad habit. I am just advocating a right that I have to smoke outside, 15 feet from the en- trance to any building. If we would like to ban everything on campus that causes harm to the human body, let’s ban meat from campus. Or junk food. No more sodas or hot Cheetos. How about no cars on campus? Pollution is a problem in any urban area, and Chicago is no exception. There is much to be said on this de- bate, but it’s not realistic to make IIT a non- smoking campus. I propose a compromise. The implementation of certain non-smoking areas, larger signs restricting smoking less than the 15 feet rule (instead of the five by five inch signs IIT currently employs). Perhaps more designated smoking bins, with the 15-feet rule printed alongside them would be more benefi- cial. It’s more realistic to try to enforce non-smoking perimeters around certain con- strained areas, like MSV, rather than a non- smoking campus. Making designated non- smoking areas more prevalent on campus, alongside designated smoking areas, is a better use of our time and resources. Enforcing, budgeting, and promot- ing a campus-wide non-smoking ban would do more harm than help, and it’s unnecessary to propose one. Making IIT a responsible smoking environment, rather than a non- smoking environment, would be better suited for all that frequent our campus. Ocean wave tidal energy untapped energy source, reliable, sustainable By Kalyan Manohar Dadala TECHNEWS WRITER The vast expanse of ocean covers almost 71% of our planet and it is a treasure trove of marine life and minerals. Humans have unsuccessfully tried and failed a zillion times to tame this wild beast, but now we has realized that tapping into this vast energy source, known as ocean wave and tidal energy (OWTE), is more beneficial to us than com- mandeering it. The efforts to reduce the global carbon footprint have paved the way to look out for more reliable sources of renewable en- ergy and OWTE is one of the top contenders. OWTE is based on energy harvest- ed by the ocean waves and tides. Waves are caused by the wind blowing over the surface of the ocean and tides are caused by gravitational pull between the Earth and the Moon. OWTE is hence divided into Ocean Wave Energy and Ocean Tidal Energy. Ocean Wave Energy is captured directly from the surface waves or from the pressure fluctuations below the ocean surface using specially designed Wave Power Devices (WPDs). The sites for wave energy harvesting depend upon several factors like the consis- tency and force of the winds to generate them with continuously for energy generation. Re- search and development in this technology is being hotly pursued in Scotland, Canada, South Africa, Australia and USA. Tidal energy can be harnessed wherever changing tides move a significant volume of water. Tidal activity can be forecast accurately, making it a reliable source of en- ergy. USA, Canada, China, Scotland, Ireland, India, South Korea and many other countries have already deployed or in the process of de- ploying tidal power harvesting schemes. At this point in history, we are wit- nessing the evolution of new forms of energy generation and also have the opportunity to contribute our share into it as well as getting rich by it. Yes, you read it right, we can get richer by contributing to our government’s quest of harnessing these renewable energies. Let me tell you how, did you know there are huge chunks of rewards be taken just by giving a feasible clean idea and implementing it? The Saltire Prize is one of them. It is a $16 Million prize offered by the government of Scotland to the first company that can demonstrate a vi- able, environmentally friendly ocean power system in Scotland’s waters. The winner has to produce 100 gigawatt-hours over a continuous two-year period. It would be a tiny fraction of the total energy needs of Scotland, but a great achievement for the OWTE movement. Does all of this seem to be out of your league? No, its not, since a simple model based on Archimedes’ screw is being deployed off the coast of Florida to harness wave energy. A simple idea can change the stakes all to- gether. To get started up, to learn about these kind of activities, try joining clubs which pro- mote sustainability like Engineers of Sustain- able World (ESW) which is open to students and professionals and mobilizes them through education and projects. Let’s hope and contribute into our planet’s future by brainstorming our ideas and put it into action.