Should the land in the canyons of our local mountains be used as a landfill where our garbage and trash are dumped?

This format for a virtual debate will follow the structure for the classroom debate which is outlined by Karen Reynosa in the Assessment by Debate Section of this web site. Participants will:

1. Present Opening Statements (for each position)
2. Develop Questions to use in Cross Examination of the 4 Perspectives on the Issue.
3. Respond to the Questions from the various Perspectives.
4. Present a Closing Statements for each Perspective.

The ISSUE: Land in the valleys of our Southern California mountains is being used to store our human population's wastes in ways which are permanently changing the natural communities in the area as well as poisoning the water and air on which people depend.

The Question: Should the land in the canyons of our local mountains be used as a landfill where our garbage and trash are dumped?

Choose to respond to the four perspectives (teams) outlined in either Debate 1 or Debate 2. Be sure that you properly label the perspective from which you are writing your responses when you fill out our Virtual Debate Form, which is available at the end of this file.

DEBATE 1:

Perspective A: Residential Customers of the LA County Department of Sanitation (residing at a distance from the landfill).
These residents of the Los Angeles area are not impacted by the landfill. They do not experience a fouling of their air, or a poisoning of the wells on which they directly depend for their water. They see that trash leaves their communities on their trash day...and are glad to see it go!...

Perspective B: Residential Customers of the LA County Department of Sanitation (residing close to the dump).
These families are directly impacted by the landfill. The odors from the dump foul their air on a regular basis, and the water they receive from the DWP is mixed with a significant quantity of well water drawn from the ground near the dump...

Perspective C: Corporate and Business Customers of the Dept. of Sanitation (who are not in the recycling business).
These business interest want their wastes to be removed for as little cost to them as possible. They want to be good "corporate citizens" but also feel they have an obligation to their corporate share holders, who live in communities throughout the world...

Perspective D: "Green" Companies who are in the business of recycling our waste materials
These companies are in the business of recycling of wastes. They are developing markets for our "urban gold" as it is sometimes known, but are struggling to establish a viable business environment for themselves, their employees, and the larger communities in which they exist. These companies are also discouraged by the export of so much of our recycled "resources". They feel that if we could develop a conviction to utilize these recycled resources here in Southern California, it would not only increase their business directly but would also provide a huge potential for future development of new business activity which takes advantage of a giant source of raw materials...


DEBATE 2:

Perspective A: A Block Club which represents a community residing within 2 miles of the Landfill
These families are directly impacted by the landfill. The odors from the dump foul their air on a regular basis, and the water they receive from the DWP is mixed with a significant quantity of well water drawn from the ground near the dump. There is also a concern about the noise levels associated with trucking the trash to the landfill as well as the safety issues related to children resulting from so much traffic passing through their community moving to and from the landfill...

Perspective B: The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber of Commerce has an interest in helping establish and develop a good business environment in the Greater Los Angeles area. Because removal and disposal of waste in the cheapest way possible is thought to be so integral to a good business environment, the Chamber of Commerce favors the development of landfills which are located as near to business centers as possible...

Perspective C: Members of the Save Santa Monica Bay Coalition.
This group of people is very concerned about how landfills are polluting the Greater Los Angeles basin. Rainfall run-off from landfills ultimately enters the ocean through one of the flood control channels which drain into the Santa Monica Bay, or runs into the Pacific Ocean through Los Angeles or Long Beach Harbors, where ocean currents move these toxins north-westward along the coast. They are very concerned about the "unlawful" disposal of toxins with household and business refuse, and would like to see the implementation of the 3R's (Reduce, Reuse, or Recycle) of a sustainable life...

Perspective D: A Coalition of LA Area Residents who are objecting to an increase in the fees to remove trash from city residential communities.
These residents of the Los Angeles area are not impacted by the landfill. They do not experience a fouling of their air, or a poisoning of the wells on which they directly depend for their water. They see the trash leave their communities on their trash day...and are glad to see it go! Many of these residents are living very near poverty, and can not afford an increase in their monthly living expenses...

Evaluation of a participant's performance in the virtual debate will respond to the clarity of arguments related to each of the four perspectives of The Question, and the presentation of the following aspects of knowledge of the ISSUE:

1. History - Has the participant presented a clear development of the time frame and events which lead to the ISSUE becoming one of great concern to our society?
2. Politics - Has the participant described the important political decisions which have brought the ISSUE to it's present place on our social agenda?
3. Economics - Has the participant discussed how the development of the ISSUE has impacted our local economy?
4. Jobs - Has the participant presented a clear perspective of the types of jobs associated with the ISSUE?
5. Science - Has the participant clearly explained the role that science has played in:

a. The development of the ISSUE to it's present place on our social agenda?
b. What information acquired through the scientific method could help clarify the choices before our society and the decisions we will need to make?
b. How science could assist society in resolving the ISSUE?

Our Project ISSUES Web Site has a form for you to present your debate statements and arguments. The form will include the following entries:

1. Name:
2. Email Address:
3. School:
4. City:
5. State:
6. The ISSUE PERSPECTIVE (The Title of the Team) you are Defending:
7. Your Written Statement presented to the Virtual Debate



This link will take you to the form on which you are to do you debating.