“Air quality watch in effect today for the state of Wisconsin. The air quality index is currently at the orange level, unhealthy for people with heart or lung disease, asthma and older adults and children. Anyone in these groups is advised to stay inside whenever possible.”

This statement should strike the average Wisconsin citizen as a foreboding broadcast within a post-apocalyptic society. Unfortunately, the above statement is a public service announcement made Monday, Feb. 9. The amount of fine particle pollution in the air had risen to what was considered dangerous levels.

In Wisconsin, it’s easy to distance ourselves from issues like pollution. When our state’s pollution levels are compared to the major pollution epicenters of the world, they appear almost insignificant. Yet, it is exactly this kind of thinking that will only continue to promote the ideals of ignorance and destruction.

Regardless of your stance on the global warming “crisis,” Wisconsin undoubtedly has a pollution problem that must be addressed. On Feb. 13, Gov. Jim Doyle announced the heating plant on the Madison campus will be shifting from coal to biofuel — primarily switchgrass — by 2012.

Although this attempt at combating pollution is admirable, there are two glaring problems with it. First of all, the change that Doyle is advocating operates under the guise of decreasing pollution. A switch from coal fuel to biomass fuel at this plant will only decrease pollution by a very insubstantial amount.

The problem arises in the production of biomass fuels. Currently, biofuel production has been found to be only marginally beneficial. A study conducted by professor David Pimentel of Cornell University and professor Tad Patzek at the University of California at Berkeley reveals the truth about biofuels.

They found that the production of corn- and switchgrass-based fuels pollutes significantly more than the production of normal fossil fuels like coal. This is due mainly to the fact that modern farming techniques rely heavily on the use of high-diesel output machinery as well as environmentally harmful fertilizers.

The second failure of biofuel is it yields far less energy than producing it requires. For example, the switchgrass biofuel Doyle is proposing requires 45 percent more energy to produce than it will yield in a power plant. Between these two effects, the decrease in pollution resulting in the proposed change would be almost irrelevant, especially compared to the huge financial burden that would result.

The second problem is easy to miss: the timeframe for the change. If Doyle really wanted to project the message of a governor who cared about pollution, he would have given a more serious outline than “hopefully by 2012.”

Our state Legislature, on the other hand, is definitely working on improving things. Not pollution really, but I am glad to see that poor, oppressed breastfeeding mothers might finally receive their due rights. Senate Bill 16 would permit them to breastfeed in public and private locations, a much-needed change for Wisconsin.

I must say, it is truly relieving to see that there are no pollution-related bills among the 84 Senate bills already introduced this year. Nothing is more reassuring than to see our state Legislature maintain its exemplary mission of making state law laughable.

Beyond our state leadership’s inherent inability to function, it is definitely possible to begin combating pollution. As science currently stands, biofuels seem less than effective, but perhaps more individual actions could be taken while science catches up.

For example, emissions very harmful to the environment are released while cars are allowed to idle. Thus, a greater emphasis placed on individuals not using drive-ins at restaurants could have a huge effect on a national level. Perhaps instituting a drive-in fee or tax for customers who choose to not get out of their cars could work. Although, then I suppose the state Senate would need to institute a tax on mothers who want to breastfeed in public as well.

Also, it seems more immediate attention would be better spent on the already appalling state of Lake Michigan. It’s shocking how little concern is given to the already incredible amount of pollutants and chemicals present in one of our primary freshwater resources.

Thanks to wasteful universities like Madison and super-polluting companies that claim to be “green,” the slogan has faded to a clich? that only serves to undermine the importance the environment deserves. Rather than backing superficial “green” initiatives like Doyle’s ill-conceived coal plant transition, the Madison community should focus its efforts on projects that will truly impact our environment for the better.

Dan Rose ([email protected]) is a freshman majoring in journalism and pre-med.