Save the rainforest
Save the rainforest
I am in third grade, and we studied how to save the rainforest in reading class. The rainforest is in trouble because people are cutting down trees, taking the dead plants and leaving their trash behind. The rainforest is important because animals live in the rainforest. The trees and plants give us oxygen. Also, the rainforest gives food for us to eat, like bananas and other fruit.
There are four ways to save the rainforest. Stop cutting down trees. Do not leave trash on the ground. Do not harvest the dead plants. Do not take too much food from the rainforest.
If we continue to cut down trees and take the food, we will not have enough oxygen and enough food left to eat. I would like to grow up and be able to save the rainforest for all the people.
Jasmine delRosario
Naalehu
Audit government
Once again the County Council and/or the mayor’s office have failed to address the inequalities in our property tax structure.
These politicians want to spend money on this, that and the other thing but refuse to look at the obvious source of revenue.
When was the last independent audit of the entire county government conducted? I’m sure that there would be a number of waste programs and inefficiencies discovered. What are the afraid of? The truth?
Bob Dukat
Pahoa
Enemy No. 1
Our beautiful island state has its share of problems: high cost of living, a poor public education system, enormous amounts of drug use, and one of the highest homeless rates in the country, to name a few. Thankfully, our lawmakers have devoted their time to solving our most immediate and pressing problem: overuse of leaf-blowers.
The Hawaii state Legislature is considering new restrictions on the use of leaf-blowers in residential areas, including a restriction against residents using the standard gas-powered tools without obtaining a business permit.
Of course, this would mean that everyone who has a gas-powered leaf-blower in their garage wouldn’t be able to use their own tools anymore, and all the garden shops will have a hard time selling the product already in stock. But we can always take comfort in the knowledge that a homeowner taking care of his property won’t wake us up at noon with loud tools!
Can we ban gas-powered chainsaws and lawnmowers next?
Michael Valentine
Hilo
All the violence
What is this island coming to? Why all the unnecessary violence?
People and lawmakers always want to blame drugs, but in reality our economy is bad, and it does not help when lawmakers always are bickering with each other and nothing gets done. Always Democrat this or Republican that. Maybe both parties should show us how to get along instead of always fighting. Show us how to respect each other.
Duane Nishimoto
Kurtistown
A good program
Mahalo Lori Rodgers of the Hilo Medical Center Foundation residency program and Josh Green and the Hawaii legislators working to grow a residency program for physicians on the Big Island.
The Primary Care Training Program by Hilo Medical Center Foundation is exactly what Hawaii Island needs to address the physician shortage in rural communities throughout our state. Yes, “budgets are always tight,” but public investment in more “home grown” physicians living and working in the islands will improve our local medical and health care system, lower overall health care delivery costs and help create a healthier Hawaii.
Sylvia Dahlby
Hilo