It is said that scent is the strongest tie to memory. As Marquette students spend their years in Milwaukee they may well be forming some powerful, pungent ones.
Believe it or not, the current environmental state of Milwaukee is dramatically improved over that of yesteryear. There are far fewer ozone action days, no longer an overwhelming fear of a crypto outbreak, and to life-long residents of Milwaukee the current air of the city is somewhat better.
However, there is a long way to go. In February, Milwaukee received a "moderate" to "unhealthy to sensitive groups" rating by the Environmental Protection Agency for its particulate pollution for roughly half of the month. People are advised not to eat fish caught in Lake Michigan due to mercury content. There are currently 16 polluted sites highlighted by the EPA's superfund in the city of Milwaukee. For those interested about in depth analysis of Milwaukee's environmental problems, volumes of information are available from organizations such as the Milwaukee Estuary Remedial Action Plan.
The point is; despite the advances that have been made, there is still a lot of work to do before Milwaukee's environment can be described as pleasant to someone who doesn't hale from a land called Gary, Ind. Some pollutants like vehicle exhaust would require large-scale federal regulations to curb. Fortunately, there are less obtrusive and more feasible, local actions that can be taken.
The extension of the Chicago Metra to Milwaukee could create a more affordable commuter option to Chicago, which could reduce the heavy pollution on the Interstate 94 corridor and take the place of the threatened Amtrack Hiawatha line. The city itself, as well as individual polluters, are working to meet more environmental standards. Furthermore, environmental groups and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett are working to create feasible conversation programs for the city.
Additional work towards reducing Milwaukee's pollution should be encouraged. More needs to be done to clean up the hulking waste of abandoned Menominee Valley industries. The city needs to stop contributing to pollution in Lake Michigan in a disproportionate fashion. Milwaukee needs to curb its negative impact on the air and water quality of communities throughout Southeast Wisconsin and around Lake Michigan.
On an individual level, people can do little things to chip in. Instead of driving to the lakefront, walk. If you're driving to meet people, pick them up rather than driving separately. Turn down the heat in your dorm or apartment by a degree or two.
The monetary costs may be high, but the benefits of improved quality of life and overall attractiveness of the city — and Marquette's campus — make paying those costs worthwhile. If those sacrifices are made, perhaps returning alumni will have their memories evoked by something other than the smell.
This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Mar. 10 2005.