It’s almost a year since Washington state began one of the most successful recycling programs for waste electronics. Manufacturers who sell televisions, monitors, computers and laptops in our state cover the full cost of the program. By the end of November, almost 36 million pounds of electronics were collected and recycled in our state free of charge to households, small businesses, charities, schools and small governments! About 35,000 pounds have been recycled in San Juan County so far.
On behalf of The Islands Chapter of the American Red Cross, I wish to gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the following businesses who helped make it possible for the citizens of Friday Harbor to donate to the cause of raising relief funds for the citizens of Haiti by placing donation cans on their counters.
Many in our state have been devastated by the economic crisis caused by the banking industry. We have a serious problem in our country with deregulation. Foxes guarding the henhouse is the quality of representation we’re getting in D.C.
This is to support Steve Ludwig’s letter in the Feb 9 edition of The Journal calling for restraint in the use of cell phones, which may be causing the disappearance of pollinating honeybees. This information seems to be absent from the major media in this country.
When we arrived in 1997, this issue was in fierce discussion and the County Commissioners decided “no tower.” Cell phones were new and their future dependency was not understood. Today, most islanders can probably tell you how much the world depends on the cellphone and most islanders have learned how to cope with limited cellphone coverage. The problem is the multitude of visitors and their life-style reliance of expecting cellphone operation — including expecting usage anywhere within San Juan County.
I would like to respond to your front-page article in the Feb. 10 edition regarding changes to regulations that affect wireless communications in San Juan County (“Hearing Feb. 19 on cell changes”).
For all who attended the 2010 Public Schools Foundation Knowledge Bowl, might I presume to say “thank you.” Thank you for collecting and donating $110,689 to the children of the San Juan Island School District. The money is so appreciated and well used for much-needed instructional materials.
I’m wholeheartedly in favor of County Councilman Bob Myhr’s thoughts on reducing the speed limits in the county. There truly is absolutely nowhere we have to go in a hurry. We’re already here. Personally, I cannot wait for that moment when we can only drive 35 mph, just ahead of the 25 mph NEVs.
That the commissioners would seek to tax civic and environmental virtue is short-sighted at best, and 100 percent bass-ackwards (sic) at worst. If they must, they should keep the proposed one-time $1,000 development fee, but instead of levying a tax on conservation-minded citizens, raise the trash tipping-fees even higher yet and use the overage to offset the recycling costs.
We need to establish a genuinely supportable nexus between problem and solution. We need to take alarming claims out of the realm of psychology and fear, and establish a framework to rationally answer the questions that are posed.
I asked Neil Hansen, the Lopez guru of garbage, about the acceptability of recyclable food containers. Knowing the corrugated paper board that has absorbed oil is not acceptable for recycling, I wondered about messy little paper boxes that have remnants of food stuck to them. “Our present vendor would not accept them,” was his answer.
While partnering with island community leaders to work toward a new critical access hospital in Friday Harbor, I have been privileged to get to know some of the people and programs serving the island communities’ healthcare needs.
Recently Mike Kaill, president of Friends of the San Juans, submitted a letter suggesting that the presence of surfactants in stormwater and other runoff is a justification for what he considers to be appropriate setbacks from the shoreline for development on shoreline properties.