Letters to the Editor
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SUSTAINABILITY
EMBARRASSED WE CAN'T TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN GARBAGE
Now we're going to ship our garbage to the Mainland? Shades of the New York City garbage barge fiasco, and shame on the mayor and City Council.
One of the first things we learn in kindergarten is to clean up our own mess.
The mayor seems to have forgotten this simple adage while he has been busy burnishing his national image and promoting his $3.7 billion transit system.
Four years after Mayor Harris initiated a curbside recycling program, we don't have this islandwide service that could reduce our landfill needs by almost half. It will eventually happen only because a voter initiative left Mayor Hannemann no choice.
The City Council shares equal responsibility for this shortsighted and environmentally unsound proposal by squabbling over urgent landfill issues for years.
So now our so-called sustainable city of Honolulu is announcing to the world not only that we are not sustainable, we cannot even take care of our own trash.
I am embarrassed by the failure of our elected officials on this issue, and I will be happy to tell them so at the polls in November.
Alan EwellHonolulu
CHILDREN
IT TAKES AN 'OHANA TO SOLVE OBESITY PROBLEM
Hawai'i's pediatric obesity problem is everywhere.
Many local pediatricians are now equipped to evaluate this problem and offer solutions. However, we cannot solve this problem on our own. We desperately need the help of parents, grandparents, step-parents, siblings, uncles, aunties, babysitters, teachers, and especially the support from the broader community including health insurance providers and politicians.
Not only are pediatricians expected to educate parents and children on obesity, but we are also expected to discuss injury prevention, developmental concerns, academic and family problems, vaccination benefits and side effects, dangers of smoking, drugs and alcohol, and the list could go on and on.
Pediatrics is a very rewarding profession, but it can also be extremely frustrating when family members do not work with their doctors. The task of obesity at any age is daunting, and it will not be solved by passively wishing it would get better on its own.
Talk to your doctor, but only if the entire 'ohana is ready to put a plan into action. For the sake of Hawai'i's future, let us all work together on this problem!
Theresa Wee M.D.Pediatrician
ENERGY COSTS
AIRLINE WORKERS TOOK CUTS, WHY CAN'T OTHERS?
Why is it that now that the price of gas has gone up, the cab companies are passing it onto the customer by raising their fares? Same for Young Brothers. How come the employees didn't take a 20 percent pay cut to "help their company out," their medical benefits reduced, and their pension cut?
We, the airline employees, did — and much more! Yet, the flying public still feels "entitled" to their perks!
Debra WitteveenHonolulu
HOME INSPECTIONS
WATER, ENERGY CHECKS CAN SAVE YOU MONEY
Since this is Detect-A-Leak week, I would like to share what my high-rise condo is doing to save water and energy. Our board of directors decided that every unit must have a safety and energy inspection.
The inspection included looking for:
Free CFL light bulbs have been given to all apartments and smoke detectors are replaced if needed.
I spoke to the resident manager and he told me the most common problems were leaky toilets (blue tablet in tank shows leak) and faucets, and wires doubled on circuit breakers.
He also told me that now that all units use CFL bulbs, the building is saving a substantial amount of money on the electricity bills.
Hawai'i has some of the highest rates for water, sewer and electricity, so inspect your home or condo today to save money.
Tom SebasHonolulu
EAST HONOLULU
IT'S UNFAIR TO NOT ALLOW DOGS ON MAKAPU'U TRAIL
For many years, the community involved itself in a major effort to protect Makapu'u trail and the Ka Iwi coast from being developed.
For more than 30 years, this wonderful area has been used by the community for exercise, hiking, sunrise watching, whale watching and an occasional dip in one of the ponds. An important part of this enjoyment has always been sharing the experiences with the family dog. After all the trouble in trying to protect this area from development, it is now lost to a large number of the community who fought so hard to save it.
It is unfair to punish all the responsible families who want to share this area with the family dog for the sake of a few irresponsible two-legged creatures.
If we take this present example to a logical conclusion, the trail and coastline should be put off limits to all individuals because of the irresponsible few who litter the trail and coastline with broken bottles, trash, cigarette butts and so forth.
If punishment is desired, then fine the irresponsible people, but don't take the joy of use away from the responsible people.
Kenneth BarclayHonolulu
MAKAKILO QUARRY
O'AHU CAN'T AFFORD TO WAIT ON EXPANSION
The city and state have grand plans to improve O'ahu's infrastructure. The list is endless: sewer repair in Windward O'ahu and Waikiki, highway and road repair from Kapolei to Downtown Honolulu, not to mention mass transit.
Now imagine if each of these projects costs three to four times the current price tag. We'd likely see only a fraction of this work completed.
Frighteningly, this is exactly the situation we are in. That's because Makakilo Quarry is nearly out of rock used for everything from building foundations to roads.
Without Makakilo Quarry, this rock would have to be imported at three to four times the cost.
For nearly two years, the quarry has awaited approval from the city to expand the quarry's area and extend its lifespan. As one of only three quarries on the island and as the producer of 70 percent of the island's supply of asphalt, Makakilo Quarry's closure would have a drastic impact to our economy and infrastructure.
We cannot afford to wait one minute longer to approve the quarry expansion.
Rocky PaivaMakakilo
ROD TAM
DISAPPOINTED OVER RACIAL SLUR AT MEETING
I simply wanted to take a moment to express my disappointment with City Councilman Rod Tam for his use of a racial slur at a council meeting.
Truth is, many people, not just Hispanics, consider this particular racial slur as derogatory as the "n" word.
And, in light of all the media attention that various disparaging terms have been receiving over the last few years (i.e., Don Imus, Sen. George Allen, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, broadcaster Kelly Tilghman, Duane "Dog" Chapman, Michael "Kramer" Richards, etc.), I find it difficult to believe that the councilman was so naive to think a "slang term" that is directed toward a particular ethnic group doesn't have obvious racial overtones. Give me a break!
Rex JonesMililani
