Faculty members stressed education and population control as solutions to environmental problems at an Earth Day panel discussion.

Many people support environmental reform as well as development in this country, said Kenneth Bowden, assistant professor of geography.

Lettie Wenner, political science department chairman, said environmental organizations are becoming more important and getting more attention from the media.

Added to that are many people who are trying to reach compromises between the competing interests of industrial groups and environmental groups, she said.

“It’s too simple to put it in terms of corporations—it’s all of us,” said Edward Kittrell, professor of economics.

Pollution control standards must meet local conditions from an economic standpoint, he said.

“Resources are scarce,” Kittrell said. “If you take from A, then B loses something.” Kittrell said the cost of pollution control has to be looked at.

Bowden began the panel discussion, attended by about 10 people, with a brief overview of environmental legislation.

Ronald Kaufmann, professor of geology, said universities have the opportunity to help with environmental problems by providing community service because they could provide cleanup measures for a lower cost than some agencies.

“I do believe the university can function to some extent and help out with the community problems,” Kaufmann said.

Bowden said the standard of living will rise and there will be more consumption of resources per capita with more people to use the resources.

“This is one of the major factors that will affect the Earth,” Bowden said.

Wenner said Planned Parenthood is the one organization she would “put her money on.” She said she agreed with Bowden on the issue of population control.

“The United States is no longer giving money to organizations that are controlling population,” Wenner said.

“The key is education,” Kaufmann said.

“There is no reason we could not be the leader in promulgating intelligent behavior toward the environment,” he said.