Hermes Index

(With apologies to Harpers Magazine)


1. Percent of U.S. Population who are African American: 12%

2. Percent of U.S. drug users who are African American: 13%

3. Percent of those convicted of drug possession in U.S. who are African American: 55%

4. Percent of those convicted of a felony who are African American: 47%

5. Percent of those in prison for drug possession who are African American: 74%

6. Percentage of American prison population who are people of color: 70%

7. # of prisons built in California in the last 10 years: 20

8. # of state-run Universities built in California in last 10 years: 2

9. Change in # of jobs in California State Department of Corrections in last 10 years: +26,000

10. Change in # of jobs in California higher education system in last 10 years: -8,000

11. # of prison guards in California in 1985: 7,570

12. # of prison guards in California in 1990: 14,240

13. # of prison guards in California in 1994: 25,547

14. Total amount U.S. government spent on Education in 1980: $27 billion

15. Total amount U.S. government spent on Prisons/Correction in 1980: $8 billion

16. Total amount U.S. government spent on Education in 1995: $16 billion

17. Total amount U.S. government spent on Prisons/Correction in 1995: $20 billion

18. # of trees saved for every ton of recycled paper produced: 17

19. Amount of paper that went into landfills in 1992: 50 million tons

20. Amount of paper Americans use in napkins and paper towels annually: 2.5 million tons

21. Amount of energy recycling paper requires as opposed to making new paper from trees: -30 to -55%

22. Percentage of landfills composed by paper: 40%

23. Amount Wesleyan spends each year on trash hauling and recycling: $250,000

24. Amount of waste produced annually by 1 American: 3600 lbs.

25. Amount of waste produced annualy by 1 resident of Holand: 600 lbs.

26. Amount of plastic used by average American each year: 190 lbs.

27. Amount immediately discarded: 60 lbs.

28. Tons of sulfur dioxide produced anually by 5 power plants in Connecticut with exemption from federal clean-air standards (the "Filthy Five"): 33,453

29. Percent of sulfur dioxide annually produced in CT which this composes: 66%

30. Tons of smog-forming nitrogen oxide polution they produce: 10,688

31. Percent of nitrogen annually produced in CT which this composes: 11%

32. Percent of CT residents who breath air that is "seriously unhealthful" according to EPA: 97%

33. # of cars on roads necessary to produce same amount of emmissions: 555,000

34. # of cars that would have to be taken off the road to equal the amount of emmissions decrease that would take place if the plants were updated to meet federal standards: 175,000


Sources: 1-17: PARC(Prison Activist Resource Center) pamphlet in Berkeley, CA; 19-27: E3 pamphlet; 28-34: The Hartford Courant, 6/1/98.