LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

A call to action on climate

6/13/2011

Northwest Ohio had a heat wave in May and early this month along with flash flooding, and a spring that was so cold and wet it interfered with farmers planting crops.

These followed a winter of heavy snowfall and storms, which followed one of the hottest years on record.

Scientists are virtually unanimous in their belief that increases in extreme weather and weather fluctuations are evidence of climate change.

There is a debate, mostly political, about whether global warming is caused by human activity, such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and certain types of agriculture. This is an interesting and useful debate, but it is also irrelevant. Climate change is happening and we need to prepare.

Chicago provides an example (“Chicago prepares for permanent heat wave,” May 29). City officials are beginning a major program to replace existing pavement with a permeable pavement better able to handle anticipated heavier rain events. They also plan to cover roofs with rain gardens to cool the buildings or collect rain water, plant shade trees, and take other steps.

Unfortunately, there are few examples of this type of enlightened leadership in northwest Ohio. We are all going to pay the price.

James Evans
Bowling Green

Selling of prisons a bad proposition
Gov. John Kasich’s plan to sell our prisons to private operators is wrong (“Legislator decries plan to privatize state prisons,” May 3).

Not only will we lose the asset, we will begin paying rent for its function instead of just maintenance costs. How is this beneficial to the future financial welfare of the state?

This is a one-time, short-term gain for a long-term expense. Welcome to the economics of privatization of public assets.

Tim Porter
Sylvania

Keep child care reaching for stars
Throughout Ohio, children pass through the doors of high-quality child-care programs every day. These are state-licensed programs that have become star-rated under Ohio’s voluntary “Step Up to Quality” program.

With proposed state budget cuts that would reduce funding for child care, the strides that many such programs have made, and that so many more are working toward, are at great risk (“Local advocates decry cuts in Kasich’s budget proposal,” June 7).

We have seen progress made toward building a high-quality child-care system over the past several years. We cannot afford to take a step backward.

Tami A. Matthews
Director
Child Care Resource and Referral
YWCA
Jefferson Avenue

Lawmakers should remember the fallen
Remember the young men who, 67 years ago, charged the guns on Normandy beach to defend freedom.

Remember also the men and women who are fighting and dying in Iraq and Afghanistan today. Elected officials should think of them whenever they make decisions.

It’s easy to wear a “Support Our Troops” button or American flag lapel pin. It’s harder to do something.

Robert Watrol
Rossford