LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
- September 19, 2006
To The Editor;
Fall is with us, and - hopefully! - we'll even have some rain soon. For me, it's always a sad time of year, because after a summer in this beloved, beautiful area, I have to go home and face 'life as usual.'
I have been summering in the Princeton area for 35 years, on the same place my father had before me. The beauty of this area never ceases to move me, heal me, and draw me back.
This year I managed four months here, and I'll be back on and off over the winter, until next summer rolls around, and I can come back to what is for me, a truly blessed place, with wonderful friends.
I leave with some sadness. I grieve about what we have made of our area. There have been many improvements - when I came here in 1971, we had a dirt road, no electricity or phone, and far fewer neighbors; the ones we had were all ranchers, and in 1972 when our neighbor's son became sick, Dad cut and bailed their hay, and he and he and I brought it in.
Even in the early 90's, when another neighbor was injured, we all pitched in to bring in the hay. It used to be hat sort of place.
Lately, things have changed. I've been broken into several times - always by kids, judging by what they stole or didn't steal (Stolen: loose change, an old sword I planned to put on the wall, a wireless phone) .
One neighbor was broken into twice last summer, and another has been vandalized. Still another neighbor, in her 70's and alone, had her house entered and her purse stolen while she was getting her mail.
There has been random vandalism: my driveway sign was stolen, the signs of two other neighbors knocked down. (For the record, my sign was four individual 'chainsaw art' block letters about knee-height, consisting of the letters N-U-T-S, the acronym of my old company, and a gift from an athlete I used to coach, who made it as far as World Championships.
I'd like the sign back - it meant a lot to me.)
Parents - do you know where your kids are?
I hope we can do something about this, because theft, breaking-and-entering, vandalism - all are making this area slide into squalor.
I'm sad to leave Princeton. Even more so as I never know what I'll come back to: a vandalized house with the door wide open? It's happened to me.
I hope we can all work together to make this as good and peaceful a place, as it is a beautiful one.
- Nat Brown, Princeton
Dear Editor;
I oppose the coal-fired generating plant! It doesn't matter whether we speak of old or new technology; pollutants are still produced, specifically sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, carbon dioxide, and particulates.
Even in small quantities, these pollutants stay around; they just don't disappear, and they eventually have a way of accumulating. "Of all the fossil fuel, coal puts out the most carbon dioxide per unit energy." (National Geographic, March 2006) Even the most unenlightened individual knows that carbon dioxide is the main culprit of global warming. My health and the health of others demand zero emissions. this is more important than lining the pockets of a CEO or others.
WHO HAS COAL? The world has more than a trillion tons of readily available coal. The US has the largest share, but other energy-hungry countries, such as China and India, are richly endowed as well. U.S. has 27%, Russia-17%, China-13%, India-10%, Australia-9%, South Africa-5%, Other-19%.
WHO USES COAL NOW? Global coal consumption is roughly five billion tons a year, with China burning the most. Western Europe has cut coal use by 36% since 1990 by using available natural gas from the North Sea and Russia. In terms of millions of tons China uses 1531, Europe 1117, U.S. 1094, India 431, Russia 251, other 1016.
WHO WILL USE IT TOMORROW? China's coal needs will more than double by 2025 to satisfy factories and consumers. The country also plans to convert coal to liquid motor fuels. Worldwide consumption will rise by 56%. In terms of millions of tons China will use 3242, U.S. 1505, Europe 853, India 736, Russia 288, and other 1602. (National Geographic, 2006)
Because coal is used extensively in other countries, it doesn't make the technology okay. Both China and the United States are currently depending on this resource as a major source of energy. China is emerging into the 21st Century. It's growing middle class demands many of the things that go with that lifestyle; thus, the high demand for energy. The United States has a population that is "constantly demanding more" and who has never learned to use the 3 "R's" (re-use, reduce, recycle).
Coal gasification appears to be a possible alternative. It is a more expensive process, but healthier for the people. The process deals with the pollutants effectively, zero emissions! However, there is a downside; the carbon dioxide produced is harnessed and sent underground into "depleted oil fields, old coal mines, or fluid-filled rocks." (IBID). Some is even being piped to Canada!
No one YET knows the long-term consequence of this 'solution' for carbon dioxide.
We have made a real mess of our planet with our voracious appetite for energy. We all stand guilty. We can take control of our health and help by scrutinizing our lifestyle, conserving not consuming energy, and moderating our demands. You can do your part by letting your views known. Write a letter to the newspaper, to your MLA, and most importantly to RDOS (who issues the license).
M.Masiel, Princeton
Reference: "The High Cost of Cheap Coal." National Geographic, March, 2006. Postscript: I found Mr. Tapics' remarks (...the plant would be built regardless what the Mayor or anyone else had to say...) extremely offensive.
What Princeton residents and its elected town leader say should be important, not arbitrarily dismissed. I thought that we lived in a democracy. I might be wrong but isn't that the reason Canada is sending young men to Afghanistan and other places, to safeguard democracy in those countries? Why not just keep them here to safeguard ours.
