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We Want to Be the Solution
In my six years as a student at the University of Tennessee, I’ve seen Students Promoting Environmental Action in Knoxville (SPEAK) accomplish a number of difficult tasks, many of them benefiting the university directly.
The Clean Energy Referendum which students voted for last spring was the most impressive in my opinion—persuading students on the brink of yet another tuition hike to actually vote in an $8 fee so that some of the energy used on campus could come from cleaner sources. This is truly an effort to be proud of. The proposed fee helps UT take advantage of TVA’s Green Power Switch program, aggregates energy projects for conservation and efficiency on campus, and aims to generate renewable energy on campus.
Last summer other UT students (who were not involved in SPEAK’s campaign for the referendum) and I were disgusted to see administrators’ blatant disinterest in the students’ desire for cleaner energy. Watching the local news, we angrily witnessed how little students’ voices matter when it comes to our campus’s fee use, our campus’s image, our own consumption. What messages are the administrators sending to students who want something better?
The students of this campus have spoken. Most of us love the surrounding area and hate seeing the Great Smoky Mountain National Park continue to rank among the nation’s pollution problems. We want to make a change. We don’t want to pollute this city or the surrounding areas when we have alternatives available. We want to be a part of the movement away from outdated and careless energy consumption. We want to be the solution, not the problem.
UT can be a leader. By hosting the Southeast Student Clean Energy Conference this spring, we’re moving in the right direction. The college as a whole, administrators and students alike, can show that we are leaders in the race for a sustainable tomorrow by supporting the Clean Energy referendum. I hope to see progressive action, not talk, from the administration in the near future.
Betsy Saylor
Knoxville
Trim Tree-Trimming
An open letter to the Knoxville Utilities Board:
First, let me say I do understand the need to trim the tree—and I do say “trim”—to maintain the quality of service you provide.
In your own words from your website, “...the natural beauty of East Tennessee revitalizes us. Preserving the beauty of our environment is essential for the health and well being of generations to come. From our internal operations to the opportunities we offer customers, KUB strives to protect the natural beauty of our region. We have a long history of environmental stewardship at KUB. That means being committed to the environment, not just meeting regulations. We take our commitment to defend our natural resources seriously. Indeed, environmental responsibility is one of KUB’s four main corporate objectives.”
However, in the past few months during your tree-trimming I have been noticing that the employees or contractors you use do not understand or care that trees and landscaping play an integral part of a home’s worth. This is known as “curb appeal” and is a factor in any home appraisal.
I have seen trees mutilated and destroyed by these employees and have seen beautifully landscaped yards turn to hideous eyesores. This is very disturbing to me.
I telephoned to complain, and I was informed by one of your customer service representatives, “That is the approved way of trimming.” Well, it is ridiculous for KUB to not be concerned with the property value of its customers who are, after all, taxpayers in this city and county. If I am not mistaken, I see signs throughout the city that read “Tree Topping Hurts.”
I am amazed at the results I have been seeing: totally gutting a tree, leaving it like the letter U, even leaving them with one side of the tree canopy removed, leaning perilously over someone’s home without the counter balance to prevent it from falling, in the event of saturated ground. If a tree falls on someone’s home will KUB assume responsibility? I think not.
These concerns should be addressed and rectified as soon as possible. I will be sending a copy of this letter along with photographs to the board of directors. I would appreciate to hear your thoughts in writing on how to rectify this situation.
Mike Parker-O’Toole
Knoxville
Knoxville’s Diversity Limited
I read your [Aug. 19] article, “Whites Only” this evening after hearing buzz about it from my fiancé. I am a 21-year-old African American college student and my fiancé is a 25-year-old African American professional banker who specializes in investments. I was born in Knoxville, but raised in Jacksonville, Fla. for 19 years of my life. My fiancé, who is a native of Knoxville, has lived here all his life. He graduated from Fulton High School and then from Carson Newman College.
I moved back to Knoxville two years ago to continue my college education at the University of Tennessee. We explore Knoxville heavily, not only entertainment-wise, but for real estate investment purposes as well. We want to become homeowners. Our experiences exploring Knoxville for the most part have only been positive ones.
We are open to trying new foods and different environments and settings. The majority of times we attend restaurants located downtown to out west we are the only black couple there, and probably among the first in such establishments such as Bogartz, where the environment is that of upscale Caucasians and the plates are about $25 per person.
The point I am trying to make is that no matter how inexpensive or costly the restaurant is, when my fiancé and I go out to dine at different restaurants to fill our urge for tasting new things, we are usually the only black couple there. And sometimes we may get odd looks from either customers or employees of the restaurants because we are African American, and I assume they don’t see that too often.
Most of the time they are excited to see African Americans who like the same things and carry themselves in the same courteous manner as they do. I think sometimes some Caucasians here have this misconception that all blacks fit into that of a “lower class mentality”—somewhat of a hidden racism, in which, they don’t expect blacks to eat and like the same types of foods they do, or would even want to stay in the same neighborhoods. That attitude is also prevalent when it comes to looking for a home with real estate agents and even with contractors when we’re considering building our own home.
Unfortunately, the falsities become reality because we have been to restaurants, as well as out to explore nice neighborhoods in areas such as Farragut and further west that blacks don’t even know exist. In part, we feel that is due to blacks not being opened-minded and not exploring new things. On the other hand, some places don’t bother to cater to the ethnic community.
There are several things that we don’t see when we explore Knoxville, and that is a unity among the native and non-native blacks, the open-minded blacks who explore their horizons and tastes in different cultures, the professional blacks who are native and non-native, and also social intermingling between blacks and whites and any other ethnic cultures.
As a result, we feel that is why we do not see more blacks in the entertainment districts in places like the Old City, downtown Knoxville, and out west. The black entertainment hubs that are available like Malibu 7, I feel, do not bring a positive vibe, nor a good representation of a black establishment. We live in East Knoxville, and have visited Malibu 7 where, in our opinions, too much violence takes place and you run the risk of possibly getting shot. The best one can hope for when expecting good entertainment and a diverse place is either the jazz martini bar, 4620, off of Kingston Pike or Red Iguana in the Old City. With condos and entertainment spots popping up all over the downtown Market Square area, as well as hosting more and more events, Knoxville is moving in an upward direction.
It’s sad when you visit East Knoxville and you feel the same should be going on there too. But ultimately, it’s going to take the black community natives, non-natives and professionals to step up, come together, and say we want to make our mark in this movement—like they did in Atlanta—to make Knoxville a more diverse and enjoyable city, not only in entertainment, but in the professional realm of successful minority businesses and corporations, as well.
Chimere Burkett
Knoxville
September 9, 2004 • Vol. 14, No. 37
© 2004 Metro Pulse
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