Anti-Earth Charter ad was sad and misguided

Many thanks to Holly Swanson of Operation Green Out from White City, Ore., for the publicity about the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition. As in April 2006, when she paid for a similar ad regarding the city’s adoption of the Earth Charter, she provided publicity that most small nonprofits cannot afford.

Tongue in cheek aside, it is unfortunate that Ms. Swanson has neglected to do her homework. Her “facts” are either incorrect or out of context. Her efforts to promote fear and hysteria are sad and misguided.

If she is so knowledgeable about Corvallis, she may have noticed how our city has received accolades for safety, health, biking and being an all- around amazing place to live.

Perhaps the sustainability efforts she fears have actually influenced the receiving of those awards.

We have more groups working together on the challenges we face than I have ever seen in the 31 years I have lived here. Businesses, nonprofits, government and faith communities are finding common ground. I would encourage Ms. Swanson to come and spend a week in Corvallis. Go to meetings at coffee shops, the Chamber Coalition and within the faith community.

I would be happy to take her on a tour and introduce her to the creativity and energy of our town. I think she might be surprised by the common ground we share. As she stated in her ad, “We all support the goal of a healthy environment.”

Maureen Beezhold
Corvallis

Bad weather seems to bring out the best in us

Mother Nature has a way of becoming the great equalizer. The bone-chilling cold, ice and the snow are not interested in what political party, religion or race you are. How much money you have in the bank doesn’t matter.

In this weather we are all subject to something out of the ordinary. That change seems to bring us closer together.

I see more smiles, waves from strangers, people willing to stop and talk and a genuine concern for the welfare and well-being of family, friends and neighbors.

It is as if we have all slowed down and, in doing so, we remember what is really important.

The human bond between us all that is unfortunately rather loose most of the time gets a little tighter during these out-of-the-ordinary times, and we experience our common humanity more deeply.

We realize how cold a body can get; how dangerous the roads can be; how hard it could be for those not prepared for this weather; the needs of others; and we remember our human frailty.

I am reminded of the classic Charles Dickens story “A Christmas Carol,” where Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge learns a very important life lesson and decides to celebrate our humanity with some long-over-due good deeds. He was made to slow down and take stock of what is really important.

A Merry Christmas to all.

David Anderer
Albany

Electric cars, compact bulbs are great ideas

True, electric cars have batteries that need to be replaced. The cost is equal or less than the cost of maintaining a regular car. All batteries can be recycled and the components re-used in new batteries.

Electric vehicles, even when charged by coal-derived electricity, emit roughly 80 percent less greenhouse gases than internal combustion vehicles. Corvallis’ electricity is 80 percent coal-derived. Charged with renewable energy (solar for example) brings emissions down 100 percent.

Regarding compact fluorescent light bulbs: Burning coal produces a lot of mercury that is spewed into our atmosphere.

A compact fluorescent uses a quarter the energy of a incandescent, thus the energy demand of CF’s puts way less mercury into the atmosphere. CF’s are also completely recyclable. Locally we can bring them to Allied Waste on Hazmat day.

Jonathan Carroll
Corvallis

We’re not witnessing a modern Holocaust

According to Khaled Abdel Shafi, director of the United Nations Development Program, Valori George is incorrect in saying that people in Gaza are “literally being starved to death” (Letters, Dec. 10, “How can we tolerate the modern Holocaust?”).

“This is not a humanitarian crisis,” says Shafi. “It’s an economic crisis, a political crisis, but it’s not a humanitarian crisis. People are not starving.” (From Canada’s Dec. 12 Globe and Mail.) You can’t get much plainer than that.

The Globe and Mail further states, “… with a large surplus of fruit and vegetables intended for markets in Israel, the vast majority of people here aren’t wanting for food.”

That being said, there is no doubt the Gazan people currently live under very unpleasant conditions, although by no stretch of the imagination are they victims of a “modern Holocaust.”

Let’s remember that borders were open and Gazans had access to jobs, markets and supplies in Israel until the Palestinians chose to begin terror attacks against Israel during the intifida. The only reason Israel seals the borders today is in response to continuing terror attacks in the form of indiscriminate shelling.

Should Palestinians stop the terror against Israel, Israel will unseal the borders. Even with the terror, Israel still supplies medicines, fuel and food, while Gilad Shalit is in his third year of illegal imprisonment without access to the Red Cross. Please put the onus of responsibility for this unfortunate situation where it belongs — on the freely elected government of Hamas.

Rachel Peck
Corvallis