It ain’t easy being green
We usually associate environmental protection with saving animals, but sometimes it means killing them. With the federal government set to drain Peña Blanca Lake, a major lake near Nogales that has been contaminated with hundreds of thousands of tons of mercury-tainted sediment, a group of biologists is requesting a state grant to have 2,000-5,000 bullfrogs in and around the lake exterminated. The reason: The non-native bullfrogs are a menace to the native leopard frogs, gobbling up their tadpoles and carrying a fungal disease that can be deadly to leopard frogs. For better or worse, humans have to shoulder the task of caretaker of the environment. This story is a reminder of the complexity of that role, and the fact that hard decisions have to be made to ensure the health and safety of the majority of the animals in an ecosystem.

Kolbe opposes marriage amendment
Former Congressman Jim Kolbe, who retired in 2006, has announced his opposition to Proposition 102, which would amend Arizona’s constitution to forbid gay marriage. “”I believe very strongly in our society that we should be working to strengthen all relationships,”” Kolbe, an openly gay Republican, told the Arizona Daily Star’s Daniel Scarpinato yesterday. Arizona voters already shot down a similar proposition in 2006, and it’s hard not to feel that its return – in simpler, truncated form – is simply a means of distracting voters from far more pressing issues. Kolbe’s opposition is welcome; now we can’t help but wonder if he’ll rescind his endorsement of Tim Bee, who helped get this ridiculous proposition on the ballot.

Newman: actor, philanthropist
Whenever we’re tempted to write off celebrities as a gang of navel-gazing cads, we should remember the example of the great Paul Newman, who died Friday. The star of “”The Hustler”” and “”Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”” co-founded Newman’s Own, Inc., in 1982. The company, which made everything from salad dressing to lemonade, held to the motto: “”Shameless Exploitation in Pursuit of the Common Good.”” It donates all profits and royalties to charity through the Newman’s Own Foundation, giving more than $250 million to thousands of charities around the world since 1982. In honor of Newman’s generous spirit, why not have a Newman’s Own dressing-garnished salad for dinner and wash it down with a cool glass of his signature lemonade?

Cage fighting – ðnecessary blow to Arizona’s economy?
You probably remember Mortal Kombat, the ultraviolent video game series of the ’90s that horrified parents and thrilled kids. If you ever wondered what it would look like in real life, you now have your answer: The first cage fighting match was held in Prescott Saturday night. Cage fighting consists of two opponents battling in a large cage, using a variety of martial arts techniques to try to subdue each other. The sport only became legal here under a law passed in April, and supporters of the sport argue that it could give Arizona’s economy a major shot in the arm. Or would that be a kick to the groin?

Editorials are determined by the Daily Wildcat staff and written by one of its members. They are Andi Berlin, Justyn Dillingham, Lauren LePage, Lance Madden and Nick Seibel.