Letters to the editor for May 1

Martin Way is not a problem

On Sunday, March 31, The Olympian headline on page 1 was “Study will look at ways to create a safer, denser Martin Way.” Wow. Martin Way is a major thoroughfare. 99.9 percent of those using Martin Way are in an auto. So what are we going to do? Shut it down? So someone can ride their bike without “cars whizzing by at 45 mph?” $523,000 to study the problem? We don’t have a problem!

Before I-5 was built, Martin Way was a major country road. After I-5, the traffic was slowed to 45 mph. Now what are we gonna do? Slow it to 35? It’s too slow already. People need to get to work, get kids to/from school, the dentist, appointments, etc.

Martin Way serves very well for what it is designed for, a major thoroughfare. I’ve driven it for years. It works well. I’ve even ridden my bike on it, from downtown Olympia all the way to McChord. The only thing Martin Way needs is timing of stop lights so traffic flows smoother, better, faster.

It sounds like Martin Way is a problem, but it’s not. Wasting over half a million dollars just to study a problem that doesn’t exist? Unbelievable!

They should spend the money on removing the roundabout at Marvin and Britton Parkway. They have an accident there every day! Why? Because it should be a stop light interchange!

Celebrating Earth Day at the grocery store

April 22 marked a half century of celebrating Earth Days, but do we observe it? We can each do our part by reducing our driving, use of electricity, and consumption of animals.

Why the focus on meat and dairy? A recent article in Nature argues that animal agriculture is a major driver of climate change, air and water pollution, and depletion of soil and freshwater resources. Oxford University’s prestigious Food Climate Research Network reports that solving the global warming catastrophe requires a massive shift to plant-based eating.

Animal agriculture results in carbon dioxide emissions due to burning forests to create animal pastures and the operation of machinery to raise and transport animals. More damaging methane and nitrous oxide are released from digestive tracts of cattle and animal waste ponds, respectively. Meat and dairy production dump more animal waste, fertilizers, pesticides and other pollutants into our waterways than all other human activities combined, and it’s the driving force behind wildlife extinction.

An environmentally sustainable world demands that meat and dairy products in our diet be replaced by vegetables, fruits, and grains, just as fossil fuels are replaced by wind, solar, and other pollution-free energy sources.

Let’s celebrate the observance of Earth Day at our supermarket.

This story was originally published April 29, 2019 at 5:55 PM.