LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
- March 6, 2007
To The Editor;
Why do we think that Pine Beetle wood is garbage?
If the damage is as serious and widespread as the media is reporting, let's stop for a second and reconsider.
In the next few decades, either the pine beetle will have been brought under control, or it will have eaten itself out of food. Think about it.
In the next few decades there won't be anymore blue-stained wood. We should be cashing in on this situation, not throwing it away.
We could make this a hugely desired, and therefore profitable resource.
Have you seen how beautiful this wood can be? I encourage you to go to a local lumber yard, and see for yourself the stunning streaking that is created by the fungus infection caused by the pine beetle. A piece of rough-milled lumber can be stiff competition for any fall sunset.
Now imagine how the ribbons of blue would accentuate the design of bar stools, picture frames, desks, bedside tables and bed frames. The possibilities are truly endless.
It is undeniable that beetle kill wood is eye-catching and exceptional.
While you are at the lumber yard seeing first-hand how stunning the beetle wood is, you will notice how rare a straight and un-warped board is.
It is my understanding that wood that is cut dry is more stable, meaning less likely to warp and twist.
Trees that are dead standing are dry, or drying, which is why they pose such a hazard during forest fire season. I would think that mills would want to cash in on the reduced need for kiln drying and actively seek out this pre-dried wood.
I have heard that the main complaint from the lumber industry is that cutting dry wood causes significantly more wear on saw blades. My suggestion is that we (through the government) should consider subsidizing saw blade purchase and sharpening to help offset this added cost.
This would help ensure the use of this wood to it's best potential.
More money is to be made treating pine beetle wood as a premium grade. In 100 years, lumber mills could be artificially dying wood to mimic the beetle staining. It could be that valuable a commodity. We have a huge amount of this wood now, but we won't in the near future.
Let's plan carefully, and not regret in the years to come the decisions we are making now.
Haste makes waste!
- Shea Evans, Princeton
To The Editor;
Why didn't David Suzuki talk about the HAARP project in Alaska as being the real cause of global warming and climate change? He drew a big crowd to brainwash the audience about the need to put the pressure on the Conservative government to implement the Kyoto treaty. Why flog a dead horse when there has been less than 50% of the countries have signed on to it? Russia and the United States refuse to sign it. With the NAU (the integration of the North American countries) how can the Canadian Conservative government impose such a treaty on the rest of the continent?
David Suzuki's political platform was designed for a bashing of Stephen Harper, Mulroney and the Conservative Party. I have a book written by Ezra Levant, a national best seller, that I recommend every household obtain to understand from the research done on the Kyoto treaty just how dangerous it would be to have it implemented.
David Suzuki praised Jean Chretien who stood on the world stage in Johannesburg, South Africa at the Tenth Annual Earth Charter Convention in 2002 to announce that Canada was signing on to the Kyoto treaty, yet when he returned home he couldn't get all the provinces and territories to agree with it.
So why are the Liberals and other opposition parties not doing their homework to find out why the Liberal government didn't implement the Kyoto treaty in the past five years?
When the Liberal leader, Dion, was the Environmental Minister he failed to find a solution to the greenhouse gas and fossil fuel emissions and is now blowing a lot of smoke and hot air instead of dealing with the most dangerous, life threatening HAARP and ELF projects that have caused the melting of the arctic and antarctic ice over this past 12 years which is a part of the NATO operations.
I can't believe that Suzuki, as an educator and a scientist, is not aware of the environmental destruction caused by HAARP, the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Project in Alaska, which is the biggest ionospheric heater in the world that is melting the ice over the past 12 years. In 1996 the planners began testing the earth-penetrating tomography applications by modulating the electroject at extremely low frequencies of 0-1000 (ELF) that is adversely affecting all marine life and causing earthquakes and volcanoes to erupt worldwide since then.
Last week the media announced that British Columbia can expect a huge earthquake to occur along it's west coast very soon! A devastating one left a huge hole in Alaska a few years ago.
A professor of the Saskatchewan University was given the responsibility of an additional project to construct the super dual auroral towers across this country to pair up with HAARP every 300 miles. When the first was completed in Prince George a few years ago many people moved their families away including an assistant professor because of the electrical activities altering the earth's electronic field, thus regulating the physiological clocks of all living creatures.
By pumping billions of watts of power into the atmosphere the ozone layer has opened a hole the size of the North American continent which is obvious with the heat that we experience from the sun especially in the Summer.
The environmental impact statement by the Pentagon admits that the radio wave paths through the ionosphere has lowered the frequency from 7.8 hertz which is a detriment to the health of every living creature. As a military Star Wars exercise we are targeted.
Did the readers take notice of the TV news last week that showed the rocket being launched by NASA to penetrate the auroral layer to research the Auroral Borealis for the scientists at the University of Calgary?
Now the Prime Minister is announcing the spending of $150 million to coincide with the launch of the international probe on the cause of the climate change and the melting of arctic ice. The natives from Nunavut trekked to Ottawa last year to demand the government do something to stop the rising waters over their territory. They may have been warned by the
indian bands in Alaska about HAARP.
So I question the wisdom of scientist David Suzuki in his cross country trek when he should be stirring up the people to pressure the politicians of every stripe to demand that the US and NATO cease and desist from their earth shattering operations in Alaska.
- Kay Hardy, Princeton
To The Editor:
Last week, a letter and an editorial gave me some cause for concern. The letter proceeded to insinuate a great deal of credit to myself and Councillor Manion for our part in the victory in keeping the coal fired plant out of our valley. I am sure Councillor Manion would agree that the job we did protecting the people's health and environment simply reflected the trust you placed in us when we were elected.
As a council member, the opportunity of enabling new industry and jobs to locate in your community is one which you never lose excitement over, after 17 years on council it is still the most gratifying announcement I can make. And I suppose that is the reason it can be such a long process to get to where you are able to assess both the positives and the negatives of every business proposal.
I have previously admitted I thought the toxic waste dump was a good idea for our area back when I was a young alderman, yet I probably wouldn't be here today if they had of allowed guns in the arena back then when the people of Princeton told us they didn't agree. That was a definite learning process for me that demands that I now research every project that I support.
As I have said all along the credit for the victory over the coal process belongs to all the people who gave up their time to protect their community and their valley, without them two voices would have been quite insignificant.
The editorial concerning the SOS was downright frightening. I absolutely agree with the point that the energy and enthusiasm created in fighting and winning a battle to protect your valley should not be allowed to dissipate. However the worklist which followed with the talk of spying and reporting on your neighbour gave me a very uneasy feeling.
The point of working together for the environment is not to ridicule someone for driving a low mileage vehicle, it is to encourage consumers to demand the same vehicle in a high mileage model the next time he chooses to buy. The battle that was fought was indeed one of confrontation and negativity, in order to prove the danger of proceeding down the coal plant path it was required to refute and dispute all propaganda that suggested a benign process.
That reactive approach was a necessary mandate of the SOS to this point, now however the SOS members I have talked to are interested in a much more proactive role.
While providing research on sensitive industry proposals may be helpful at times in the future, more of a mandate may be to provide a home here for green power and environmentally friendly industry.
The scope really opens when you imagine all the positive ways this group could operate, such as encouragement of energy saving information, coordination of Fortis and Terasen Gas who are always promoting ways to cut our utility bills, lobbying of different levels of government to help fund programs which cut energy use, or research and information on wind or water or solar ways we can conserve energy.
Chief Joe Dennis of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band buys no power or gas for his home, water, wind and solar power supply him with everything he needs, can you imagine no utility bill? How about a green fair where all the latest innovations to help us save energy are displayed, anything from the latest windows to power smart appliances?
The fight that kept our valley clean also put us on the map, maybe some of these green companies are looking for green environments to locate away from the smog and congestion of the lower mainland. Initiatives by companies and corporations need to be publicly commended such as Weyerhaeuser setting a goal of 40% less greenhouse emissions by 2020. These are the positive directions I see for this group, making a difference by working together moving to that future target we can set for our valley that Dr Suzuki suggested.
- Mayor Randy McLean, Princeton
To the Editor;
Re: February 20, 2007 'More on Pathways'
I can appreciate the history of our coal mine and the route for shipping over the bridge and through the tunnel, and oh! berries are out watch for the bear poop beside the paved path, not natural for them to poop on pavement. I didn't know nature grew black top.
Entering Princeton, middle of town and leaving you can view our beautiful mountains and forests. Walking any of our NATURAL paths, which there are many, watch out for that root that just moved! There is so much to see. As you walk along watch out for dog poop OR was that a cougar? As you walk along, oh no, more poop, cat or cougar cub?
The proposed area by John Allison School at the base of the hill you must ascend a bluff to the existing old road, anybody got a tow rope? Where there are people there is garbage, that's a given, which promotes wildlife into residential areas. As a proposed park area near John Allison School can you imagine what a 50-pound or less child looks like to a wild animal or any other two eyed stranger or predator in a secluded area?
In the summer time Corina Avenue is already an Indy 500 Drag Strip and groupie hangout, why encourage more by the school?
Do you know what happens when you complain of inappropriate behaviour and not give your name for fear of retaliation, absolutely nothing, we know from experience. Walking along the old existing road seems to me has no scenic value as you overlook roof tops of a residential area. You have to know where to look to just see a glimpse of the Tulameen River from Coalmont Road, so why disturb the area and our privacy?
Shall we continue this journey?
Allison Flats speak up, (John Allison to the Brown Bridge along the Dyke.)
I'm done, but fighting for your rights will never sleep.
- G. Longstaff, Princeton
Residents 'Against' Pathway
To The Editor:
Everyone who worked so hard to stop the coal-fired power plant has good reason to celebrate.
It is possible to influence government policy if the people demand change loudly enough. If the people lead, the leaders will follow.
We have excellent leaders here in the valley. Mayor Randy McLean, Councillor Jim Manion, the Mayor and Council of Keremeos were absolutely essential in keeping the valley clean.
Princeton's three other Council members where Missing In Action. They ducked the issue.
The visits by NDP Leader Carol James and Dr. David Suzuki helped to force Gordon Campbell to do the right thing. I hope that Mr. Campbell's green paint doesn't wash off after the next election. We need to let our politicians know that we are watching them.
All political parties are scrambling to show how green they are right now. The Green Party is the only party that has been consistent in its call to reduce CO2 emissions and to build renewable energy generating facilities.
If we really want to send a message to Victoria and Ottawa, let's send a Green MP and a Green MLA.
- Dan Pippin, Princeton
