What’s the most economical climate change solution? Renewable energy, not unproven technology like carbon capture
Regarding “Force Big Oil to address climate” (Open Forum, June 3): The writers suggest that Big Oil should be making large reductions in carbon emissions with carbon capture and storage technologies, and that companies would have to be forced by the government to do this because it’s not in their economic interests.
But let’s get real on economics. Renewable energy is less expensive than fossil fuels. It costs me much less to drive my car, using 100% renewable from my electricity provider, than it costs to drive a gas-burning vehicle. Consider that the fossil fuel industry still receives government subsidies, part of the economic shell game where taxpayers pay extra taxes that are funneled to certain industries so that their products can cost less, thus encouraging their continued consumption.
Carbon capture and storage is unproven and will add to fossil fuel costs. Renewable energy sources are not only economical to the consumer, they don’t have the environmental and health costs of fossil fuels.
Rather than push carbon capture and storage, the government should eliminate oil industry subsidies, impose big fees on air pollutants and use the fees to fund rebates for the public to change their fossil burning vehicles and building heating systems into clean electric systems.
Avoid milk formulas
As a woman and a mother, I deeply sympathize with the thousands of women unable to breast-feed their babies and now face an unprecedented shortage of infant formula. As a practicing physician and nutritionist, I was amazed to learn that so many are still feeding their babies a formula based on cow’s milk.
Cow’s milk has a nutrient profile intended for a baby that grows up to weigh 1,300 pounds and may well overwhelm a human infant’s digestive organs. Cow’s milk is high in artery-clogging saturated fat and cholesterol, yet deficient in iron, vitamin C and other nutrients that human babies need; about 70% of African Americans and 95% of Asian Americans are allergic to lactose, the sugar in cow’s milk.
We all want the best for our babies, and breastfeeding works best for most moms. For others, there are lots of healthy infant formulas that spare our babies from milk intended for other animals.
No anthem before games
There’s nothing inherently patriotic in the game of baseball, so why do we even need to play the national anthem before the first pitch? It’s like playing it before your dentist fills a tooth or you pick up a pizza. Keep it for ceremonies at the national cemetery and the like, but otherwise dump the anthem and relieve Giants manager Gabe Kaplan of his little angst.
Nobody’s stopping you, if you’re that patriotic, from setting your beer down, standing up, doffing your cap and singing it solo.
Pinch fishing poachers
Regarding “Fisherman may be on hook for $1 million in fines” (Bay Area & Business, June 1): As the director of Shark Stewards, a Bay Area marine conservation nonprofit, I applaud San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin’s case against the fisherman accused of poaching more than 250 Dungeness crabs from the Farallon Islands no-take marine reserve.
California’s Marine Protected Network is scientifically designed and monitored to benefit fragile marine ecosystems and help restore marine life impacted by humans. California’s marine reserves encompass only 16% of state waters, yet benefit fish and the fishing industry outside its boundaries.
We congratulate California Fish and Wildlife staff for their seizure of more than 90 illegal traps. The suspect’s behavior impacts wildlife, is unfair to those who obey fishing regulations, and potentially exposes consumers to crabs contaminated with toxins.
Shark Stewards calls for the maximum penalty to demonstrate to other would-be poachers that San Francisco takes marine protection and the health of our oceans seriously.
