Going green has many benefits
The climate of the Earth supports life; that of the moon does not. What makes the difference is our atmosphere.
It is basic chemistry that if you change the chemical makeup of the atmosphere you can change how it functions. Anyone who has baked a cake knows that if you change the ingredients you change the outcome.
If you wear a sweater and a coat on a hot summer day, your body will overheat. If we continue to add more and more heat, trapping chemicals into our atmosphere, we greatly risk overheating our biosphere. In depositing unprecedented amounts of heat-trapping gases into our atmosphere, we are conducting a unique experiment, the likely outcome of which is numerous large-scale catastrophes. Do we really want to play Russian roulette? For what benefit?
Besides not sabotaging our life-support systems, decreasing carbon dioxide emissions means being more efficient, spending less on energy, having more money for other things, improving our international trade balance and becoming less economically and militarily vulnerable to disruptions of foreign energy supplies; our businesses would become more profitable and competitive. It also means becoming among the world leaders in developing the newest technologies that the world will depend on. That is all good stuff, so what are we so afraid of?
Within the last 10 years or so, DuPont set itself the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent. It was able to exceed that goal and make hundreds of millions of dollars in additional profits. InterfaceFLOR is a major carpet manufacturer. Since its founder, Ray Anderson, became dedicated to minimizing the ecological footprint of his company, the company has greatly increased both its revenues and number of employees. Those are win-win results from acknowledging and working with the laws of physics.
Richard Weeks
Cooperstown
Gas drilling can benefit many
I have waited with great enthusiasm for the outrage and condemnation of the incident in Delaware County, where our most precious New York state resource, our water, was systematically contaminated by a recognized segment of industry. Where is the social outcry from the grass-roots movements? why is there no call to arms for dismantling, protesting or, better yet, closing these hideous pain-killer, hormone, antibiotic, water-polluting machines?
What if this was another segment of industry, let's for the fun of it, say this was a natural-gas drilling company and it was found to have contaminated the same valuable resource, would the reaction be the same? Absolutely not. And why not? Because it's not really about water preservation or purity, let's remove the veil of hypocrisy; it's really about the haves and the have-nots.
Some of our farmers and neighbors have an opportunity to receive a financial infusion if they look to lease their lands for gas exploration. These stewards of the land for generations have been characterized as money-hungry and not caring about the ramifications of their actions. Well, the last time I drove by some of my agricultural warriors' places of business, I didn't see a Cadillac Escalade or a reserved parking space for the owner.
Let the voices of reason prevail, sure there is risk in the process of gas exploration and drilling, just as there is risk to those who live near any of the nursing care facilities and hospitals having their wells contaminated, but I would not call for their closing because of the benefits to our community. Mark Twain said, "Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising."
Peter Oberacker Jr.
Schenevus
Murphy doesn't seem to care about area
This past October, the village of Hobart encountered a problem with the Maple Avenue bridge. I was advised to contact State Sen. John Bonacic and Congressman Scott Murphy for information. It took one phone call to Sen. Bonacic's office to receive a response, and his office continues to be very helpful. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for our congressman, Scott Murphy.
I personally contacted Murphy's office in Saratoga Springs, Glens Falls, Clifton Park and Washington, D.C., a total of 17 times, along with two e-mails through his website.
As of Jan. 22, I still had not received a return call. Recently, when Scott Murphy took the time to campaign in Stamford, he was asked about all the phone calls that were made to his office and went ignored. He replied, "I'm not sure what happened, but give me the telephone number and I'll make sure he gets a call first thing tomorrow morning." Here we are weeks later and still no contact made.
According to my research, a congressman's base salary as of 2009 was $174,000 a year without travel expenses, etc. I know if that were me, I would do everything I could to make sure everyone who contacted my office had the courtesy of a reply. Apparently, Scott Murphy doesn't really care about this area. He just cared when he was looking for votes. I hope you'll think twice next election!
James Barr III
Hobart
Parking violators must be fined, towed
I find it very hard to find a handicapped-parking space, especially by the Oneonta post office and at Wal-Mart, in spite of the many designated handicapped parking spaces there.
It seems that many people find it just so much more convenient to slip into handicapped-parking spaces (of which there are only two, I believe) at the post office, rather than take the time to park and walk an extra 100 feet or so from the parking lot in the back. Do they know, or care, about those who cannot walk far or have medical problems that make using these spaces a real necessity? Or, maybe they just cannot read the handicapped-parking signs prominently posted there?
At Wal-Mart, on Southside, it is even worse, because these people not only illegally park by the signs, but also park directly on the yellow striped area, so that anyone with a wheelchair on a van cannot get out of his vehicle. It defeats the whole purpose of having a handicapped-parking spot, when you can't get out of your vehicle.
It would probably be far too much to ask these civility-challenged drivers to show a little consideration, but heavy fines or even towing away violators may change their ways.
June Close
Oneonta
