Letters to the editor for April 23

Vote yes on Proposition 1

Our fire departments need help. Many firefighters are working two or more days in a row, stressed out and surviving on catnaps. Equipment needs to be replaced, and fire stations need improvements. Response times are slower and slower.

Tumwater residents’ benefits:

• Access to a larger fire department with more resources

• Access to Olympia’s ladder truck, which Tumwater doesn’t have.

• Access to Olympia’s proposed CARES and BLS transport units, helping to reduce call volume and turnaround time at calls.

Olympia residents’ benefits:

• Access to Tumwater’s well-equipped fire department with additional firefighters when help is needed.

• More money for emergency response vehicles, equipment, and facility maintenance, all of which are in need of additional funding.

• Dedicated human resources staff to accelerate filling of chronic vacancies and new positions.

• A larger service area for the proposed CARES and BLS transport units, increasing their utilization rate and likelihood of recovering their costs.

Both cities’ benefits:

• More efficient deployment of fire resources, with the nearest truck being able to respond to calls.

• Improved community fire prevention education and outreach.

• Resources to address the PTSD and stress firefighters and medics are experiencing from increased call frequency and the human toll of our fast-moving society.

• As new fire trucks and fire stations are needed, these costs will be spread over a larger population and assessed valuation, reducing individual costs.

Yes, it will cost us more up front, but it will save us money in the long run. If you really want to save our fire departments, vote yes.

Pete Kmet, Tumwater

Protect Alaskan Natives’ rights

I am deeply concerned about the proposed Willow Project, a massive and decades-long oil drilling venture on Alaska’s North Slope.

The Willow Project would be a disaster for Alaska. It would destroy pristine wilderness, contaminate our air and water, and contribute to climate change. The project would also violate the rights of Alaska Natives since it would be on land that is sacred to them, and it would disrupt their way of life. The project also would violate the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which guarantees Alaska Natives the right to manage their land.

The project would be a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. It is estimated that this would produce up to 160,000 barrels of oil per day, which would contribute significantly to climate change. Climate change is already having a devastating impact on Alaska, and the Willow Project would make things worse.

ConocoPhillips’ Project also would require the construction of roads, pipelines, and other infrastructure, which would destroy pristine wilderness. The project would contaminate air and water, and harm wildlife.

I urge my elected officials to oppose the Willow Project and take swift action to protect our environment and our climate.

Caleb DeLeeuw, Olympia

Stop using Styrofoam

Hey Sonic and Chick-Fil-A. Your food is tasty and popular, and it sounds like you treat your workers well. So please, for the good of the environment, stop using Styrofoam!

Styrofoam, also known as EPS, ends up in landfills by the ton. Some studies claim that it takes up to 500 years to decompose, and it leaches toxic chemicals into the soil and groundwater. It sounds like Ridwell may be the only local resource for recycling these materials. Even with that option, the vast majority of people don’t bother to recycle the EPS that comes with their meals.

I’m aware that the owners of Chick-Fil-A are people of faith, who seek to follow biblical principles as they conduct business. That is all the more reason to stop using Styrofoam, as people of faith are called to be stewards and caretakers of God’s creation.

I know that these companies are not based in Washington, but they have become our neighbors by opening restaurants here. I know the managers of the local stores don’t set policy, and so my next letter will go to corporate headquarters. Nevertheless, we can tell our local restaurants, or boycott, so they will pass the word to change the policy. Using alternatives may raise the price of a drink, but our community and environment are worth it.

We can do better.

Gary Baits, Olympia