Don't blame the green

The April 21 article, "To Go Green, LDOC enters the red," seems to link the admirable attempt to reduce the environmental footprint of Last Day Of Classes to the event's $17,000 debt. Yet from what little actual evidence was provided in the article, it appears that "going green" had little to do with the budget disaster. One item cited as leading to cost overruns was performer Ben Folds' request for an additional piano. How is that related to going green? Another item was the increased expenses of a middle agent that facilitated contracts with other agents, which is not especially green as it flies in the face of "do it yourself" environmental principles. The one item cited in the cost overruns that has a green tinge was several thousand extra dollars for organic cotton T-shirts. But giving away thousands of T-shirts to students who don't need them is never really a "green" activity. An egotistical musician, poor management decisions and Duke's bizarre obsession with free T-shirts is to blame for this budget mess, not the environment.

Rafe Sagarin

Associate Director for Ocean and Coastal Policy, Nicholas School