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Letters Sept. 28: fossil fuels, detox centres, planting trees

Divert fossil-fuel subsidies to renewables During this week of the global climate strike, and the inspirational and emotional address by Greta Thunberg at the United Nations rebuking the leaders of the world, it is clear that the world must put its r
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Demonstrators outside the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change call for an end to clearcutting. They set up their picket line for two hours on Tuesday. Sept. 24, 2019.

Divert fossil-fuel subsidies to renewables

During this week of the global climate strike, and the inspirational and emotional address by Greta Thunberg at the United Nations rebuking the leaders of the world, it is clear that the world must put its resources, engineering and science to work for the sake of future generations without delay.

Science tells us that we have to make a very rapid transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy to mitigate the effects of climate change affecting future generations, and to prevent going past the tipping point, accelerating the advent of the sixth mass extinction.

The good news is that we have a perfect opportunity to kick-start the process by shifting $3.3 billion per year in government subsidies from the fossil-fuel industries to the renewable-energy sector. Recent studies show that transitioning energy production to the renewable industries will boost overall employment and raise the GDP at the same time.

Is it reasonable to pay industries to exacerbate the climate emergency? It’s like pouring water on a fire with one hand and pouring gasoline on it with the other.

This hypocritical example, made in Canada, shows why Greta Thunberg is right to chastise us all.

John Pope
Victoria

They’re not just making noise

Re: “Personal action is also needed,” letter, Sept. 26

These young people aren’t just making noise. Their climate change protests are well grounded in responsible concern for the environment and benefit for everyone on the planet. Most of these same people can also be counted on in day to day personal “positive-action projects” such as those mentioned in the letter.

They have a wholistic view of human responsibility that regards urgent, realistic changes as necessary for every aspect of environmental care. There must be no division between personal action and global action. Either would be pointless otherwise.

G.M. Jackson
Victoria

A dressing down from a sour-faced teen

I pity the people at the UN who had to sit through a dressing down from a sour-faced teen from the other side of the world who obviously does not have a clue about the size of North America and what it takes to keep everything going here.

But that’s not all. This young girl, and others like her, do not mind having the Earth raped and pillaged for the elements that make up their mobile phones. They wouldn’t even know how to be “in touch” without that technology.

From the moment their small, pink backsides were swaddled in disposable diapers, they have, every one, been leaving a carbon footprint.

But they don’t see that. They don’t mind loading up the dishwasher every day. The dishwasher that wastes several gallons of water per use, not to mention the electricity it consumes.

And, you know what? These young “climate protectionists” don’t even realize that they never minded having their spoilt little selves ferried around hither and thither in gas-guzzling SUVs, because they were entitled to whatever activities they chose.

Well, maybe some day they’ll learn the meaning of hypocrisy. Or … maybe not.

Lesley House
Saanich

Young people taking action on climate change

Bravo students and teachers for your climate-crisis actions.

As a great grandmother, I ask elected MPs and MLAs to give 16-year-old teenagers the right to vote. They are the future.

Shirley Swift
Victoria

We need to invest in detox centres

Why are we allowing people to live on the streets, because they want to?

Why are we giving them “stopping places” to get a fix, not a cure? Now, we are providing another “backup” kit, in case they overdose, Why? Victoria has paid out thousands cleaning up a park, where they decided to live. We now have another “tent city” on Pandora.

It will never end until we stop supplying drugs for a fix.

Cut out the pit-stop booths for drugs and invest those millions in detox centres. Years ago we should have been building detox facilities to cure and not keep killing.

Eileen Mae Nattrass
Saanichton

Educational assistants shortage is widespread

Re: “Dearth of educational assistants forces ‘triage’,” Sept. 25.

I’m an educational assistant with School District 61, but I’m also a mother of two children in the school system. I find it concerning that this article pinpointed one school and didn’t focus on the broader problem. There are not enough educational assistants in any school, period; and not only is it a safety concern, it’s a threat to the education of the children who are “typical functioning.”

My children have the right to an education free from disruption. They have a right to feel safe in their classrooms. They have a right to thrive, and without the appropriate support for those with special needs, they aren’t getting that. If the district wants inclusion, they need to make it fair for all. This isn’t a problem at one school, it’s a problem at all of them, and it’s time for teachers, administrators and parents to speak up for all children involved.

Jessica McCool
Victoria

Signs would give false sense of security

Re: “Hiker calling for better directions on secondary Thetis trails after six-hour ordeal,” Sept. 19.

I’ve spent years exploring the trails around the Capital Regional District, including all of the trails at Thetis Lake Park. The network of trails at the back of Thetis are complex and rugged and people shouldn’t assume that they are similar to the user-friendly trail that circles the lake.

While exploring any wilderness area, I always carry my backpack that includes additional clothing, flashlight, whistle, food and water, first-aid kit, locator beacon, bear spray, space blanket, and most importantly I carry a hand-held GPS that is loaded with trail maps.

Adding additional signage on secondary trails at Thetis will provide a false sense of security for ill-prepared people and will result in more calls for help to 911. The existing signage should be strengthened to warn people to not leave the main trails.

Rob Wilson
Langford

Let’s aim to plant 70,000 trees

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps might broaden her promise of planting 5,000 trees in Victoria by December 2020 by calling on all the other 12 municipalities and the Capital Regional District to participate as well.

A total of 70,000 trees would be a modest move to maintain Greater Victoria’s urban forest, which is continually being whittled away.

Stuart Macpherson
Saanich

Stop clear cutting and building subdivisions

Re: “Victoria pledges to plant 5,000 trees in UN challenge,” Sept. 22.

How interesting that Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps has pledged to plant 5,000 trees by the end of 2020 as part of a UN challenge. She acknowledges that Victorians love trees and with that makes note of the fact that the city only intends to plant 500 of those said trees on public lands with the balance to be planted by individual homeowners. As the article pointed out, urban areas account for up to 75 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions. To add insult to injury, the mayor stated that she thinks we can do better.

With that in mind, it behooves our local elected officials and their working committees to simply say no to further clear cutting and building subdivision after subdivision. A prime example being the urban sprawl of the Western Communities not to mention every empty lot within the Greater Victoria as a whole. Why not make developers plant a new tree for every one they cut down?

To quote the great Canadian songstress Joni Mitchell — “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot” or in our case a new subdivision.

Shirley Waldon
Victoria

Hotline to report illegal fishing falls short

Re: “No lights, no brakes — something was fishy,” Sept. 26.

What a disgusting and flagrant abuse of our local recreational fishery that article about illegal fishing reported. Sadly, as a lifelong fisherman in local waters, I can tell you I’ve witnessed it more than I can stomach.

About two months ago I witnessed an undersize lingcod being caught off Ogden Point. I was in my boat, the poachers were on the breakwater. I called the Department of Fisheries and Oceans poacher hotline. I was shocked when an operator from Crime Stoppers answered.

I guess the job of receiving calls about wildlife poaching has been farmed out by the government.

The operator told me I had two choices. I could wait on hold for an undetermined time for another person to handle the call or I could make a report online through their website.

She started to give me the website address and in disbelief of how ineffective this system was, I cut her off and said I’d wait on hold. I waited 20 minutes while I watched the couple walk away with the undersize fish in a bag.

Great hotline, I thought.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans really needs to start protecting our fish before there are none left.

C. Scott Stofer
Victoria

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• Email: letters@timescolonist.com

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