Let’s get writing
In response to Michael Traub’s Aug. 23 letter to the editor: I hope we will have a great Hawaii mail-in voting turnout and let our voices be heard this election. In addition, as you suggested, “let’s use our time, money and energy to contact voters in battleground states … to encourage them to vote.” There are many groups doing just that who need volunteers for postcard writing, texting, and phone banking campaigns: vote forward (votefwd.org), www.PostcardstoSwingStates.com, flip the west (flipthewest.com/postcardathome) and others. Let’s get writing.
Mask up, stay distanced, and keep safe Hawaii.
Dain Osedo-Bleecher
Waimea
Uncover the truth
Honua Ola sure has plenty kala to put out falsehoods to us all. Full-page color ads repeatedly claim “carbon neutral/negative energy production.” Just use your phone, check out “growth of wood biomass power stokes concerns Yale 360.” I prefer science and truth to propaganda.
The trees they want to burn now are sequestering carbon from the atmosphere now. They won’t be when you cut them down. Then when you burn them you release all of that stored carbon. It will take however many years for the tree to regrow to the same size as the one that was cut before the seedling they plant recaptures that carbon from the atmosphere. The trees are 25 to 30 years old? No mention of the tens of thousands of gallons of diesel they will burn harvesting, loading and transporting the logs over all the years they want to do this for either. They claim to be less expensive than solar and wind in the ad but have previously asked that they be exempt from the competitive bid process. This smells like five-day-old road kill.
If the people who endorsed this propaganda have their way, it will ensure that the keiki of Hawaii will not enjoy the same quality of environment we have. Every year now, we see record-high temperatures, crazy fires around the globe, rising seas, vanishing global ice, species extinction, and climatologists warning we have only 10 years to reverse course before it becomes irreversible. Honua Ola does not have your best interest in mind, only profit, which they want you to subsidize.
Leslie Iijima
Waikoloa
Making more waves
The Aug. 27 column by Dennis Gregory should have been published in your joke section. Before saying aloha to Harry Kim, people should check how many government jobs have been added during his administration, the various tax increases, the totally mismanaged budget, giving all the best to the east side, not to mention his handling of issues like the TMT and COVID-19. (I am sure my list is far from being full.) I have no doubt Harry did the best he could, and it’s not his fault the voters repeatedly voted for an unqualified person to be the mayor.
Harry did what most Hawaiian politicians do, being nice to people, promising stars and delivering hell. All his terms have been a disaster for the County of Hawaii. I also had to laugh about the “don’t bother running against Henry, you will get like three votes.” Wasn’t it him who got three votes at the last primary election?
John S. Rabi
Kailua-Kona
In the name of prevention
“Prevention.” When I hear that word I am reminded of what Gandhi said in response to the question: What do you think of Western Civilization? He said: “I think it would be nice.” So, when I hear the word “prevention” I think “yes,” wouldn’t that be great.
I want to make just a few general remarks about prevention strategies so that as we think about our daily Hawaii experiences, that will be our prevailing focus. I have noticed that some of the most effective prevention strategies are those that do not require immediate human action such as, drink pasteurized milk, put fluoride in the water, child-proof all drug containers, airbags in autos.
The next best preventions are those that require a one-time action, such as installing smoke detectors, installing stairwell and window guards, and lowering hot water heater temperatures.
The most difficult to achieve success are those behaviors requiring repeated action, like a baby strapped in the car seat, helmet on the head, and seat belt buckled before starting the car engine. So, I leave you with hope that this information will be of benefit to all in the name of prevention.
Shay Bintliff
Waimea
Letters policy
Letters to the editor should be 300 words or less and will be edited for style and grammar. Longer viewpoint guest columns may not exceed 800 words. Submit online at www.westhawaiitoday.com/?p=118321, via email to letters@westhawaiitoday.com or address them to:
Editor
West Hawaii Today
PO Box 789
Kailua-Kona, HI 96745
