You've Got Four Weeks, Oman

From KCCI TV:

Coralville's city leaders are also considering whether to scrap the proposed $180 million Iowa Environmental Project plan all together.

"Well, I thought it was a dream that we both shared, but right now, it's gone to that point where we as a city have to move on," said Tom Gill, a council member.

City council members like Gill are frustrated because they want to move forward.

"No ground is going to be broken until the contract is resolved," Gill said.

Gill is concerned over funding for the rain forest.

The rain forest project has received $10 million from Ted Townsend and $50 million from the federal government, but no one really knows how much private funding has been raised, NewsChannel 8 reported.

"The biggest problem with the indoor rain forest is perception. I don't agree with their numbers. I don't agree with their ability to raise money. I don't know what funds have been raised, if any," Gill said.

City leaders hope to make a decision in four weeks.

"It appears at this point not to have a whole lot of potential other than to continue to be a drain on the time and energies on some very talented people," said Jean Schnake, a Coralville council member.

NewsChannel 8 tried to talk with rainforest's project administrator, but he was unavailable.

Really?

David Oman never seems to be available for anything.

They've got time to redesign their web site with this sort of gobbledygook:

1. Fossil fuels are expected to be exhausted within 100 years. Imagine 500,000 trees are cut in the rainforest every hour. At least 25% of all modern drugs came from rain forests. Save up to 720 gallons of water monthly by taking baths instead of showers. (Huh?? Don't baths use more water than showers??? - Ed)

2. Almost half of the Earth's original forest cover has been destroyed. As food crops, we use only 7000 of about 75,000 known edible plants. Less than one tenth of one percent of Iowa's native prairies remain. A faucet dripping at a rate of one drop per second wastes 2700 gallons per year. Keep a bottle of water in the fridge instead of tap water and save as much as 300 gallons a month. (Does water magically grow in the fridge?? That's 10 gallons per day! - Ed)

3. One hectare of rainforest may contain over 750 types of trees and over 1500 types of higher plants. Save 300-800 gallons per month by running full loads when washing clothes and dishes. (Purchasing a horizontal axis clothes washer will save you 7000 gallons a year over a conventional top loading machine. - Gov Mint)