Correction: Last week’s parting shots were accredited to the wrong Sopris Sun photographer. Apologies and thanks to Jane Bachrach.
Go A.O.!
We enjoyed reading A.O. Forbes’ introduction to his upcoming series, “Seeking Haystacks,” and look forward to following his series in the coming months.
We have both found our levels of cynicism and hopelessness rising as we encounter daily news stories, and this distresses us! Reading how the students in A.O.’s class navigate the news and develop consciences, find beauty and become everyday heroes like A.O.’s grandmother will surely help quell the cynicism we have felt so strongly these days.
Thanks A.O. for helping us to seek haystacks. Good timing!
Kate Friesen
& Peter Westcott
Carbondale
Keep Carbondale dandy
On Saturday, my son called me to the window to look out. Almost every dandelion stem in our yard had a tiny bird perched on it, as the birds ate the dandelion seeds. I identified the type of bird via my Merlin app: Pine siskin Spinus pinus. This was a huge flock, each eating lots before the next big fly to wherever they are going. The next day, I saw a few in my yard and around the neighborhood but now they seem to have flown to their next stop where I hope they find seedheads.
I knew how important the spring dandelion flowers are for the bees who come out early and need nectar to fuel their big work in pollination. Now, I see how important a food source the seed heads are. I am sure it is not just pine siskins that eat them.
Long ago, the research came out on how dangerous weed killers are to the health of children, adults, insects, birds and every living thing down the food chain. The Town of Carbondale pledged not to use chemicals to kill them on public grounds. Many homeowners stopped poisoning their “weeds.” For those of you who do like a dandelion free lawn, please remember how interconnected we are.
Weed killers can be very dangerous to pregnant women and even cause death to a fetus. They cause learning disabilities in children and developmental delays.
The birds sing for us, delight us with beauty and strength as they travel miles to winter and summer homes. Let’s keep the birds and bees fed and our families healthy. Let your dandelions hang around in their yellow and starburst beauty.
Illène Pevec
Carbondale
Why dis EV’s?
Believe it or not, Republicans are criticizing President Joe Biden for promoting electric vehicles (EV) through the Inflation Reduction Act. It’s government overreach, the Trumpsters say, destroying the American auto and oil and gas industries. None of this was heard at Clean Energy Economy for the Region’s (CLEER) and the Carbondale Environmental Board’s EV show during June’s First Friday.
The planet is cooking. Mexico and India are recording record high temperatures and heat stroke deaths. So, you’re a nationalist. Who cares about people in other countries. Well, Nevada and Arizona are in the hot box right now and meteorologists are predicting similar heat domes in Oklahoma, Texas and Florida this summer.
With sea temperatures higher than ever, hurricane predictors are saying the 2024 season will be a doozy. There is an all-year wildfire season as witnessed by the Marshall Fire on New Year’s Eve of 2021, the most destructive fire in Colorado history torching 1,100 buildings. If you believe this can’t happen in the Roaring Fork Valley, you’re deluding yourself.
All this is caused by human induced greenhouse gasses entering the atmosphere and trapping the sun’s heat on the earth’s surface. The leading source of the most prevalent greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide (CO2), is transportation. That’s fossil fuel burning internal combustion engines emitting massive amounts of CO2.
If it isn’t the government’s responsibility to protect its citizens from this calamity, I don’t know whose it is. All the Biden administration did was offer a $7,500 tax credit for EV buyers.
Complaints center around charging availability and, for sure, the government needs to make good on the promises of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act and proliferate charging stations. You can charge an EV at home with a standard 120-volt service, but it’s very slow. For a faster charge you need 240 or 480 volts.
Range is another concern. The average range of an EV is currently 300 miles, but it’s increasing every day. The first Model T didn’t roll off the production line and chug down the road. There’s always trial and error.
Fred Malo Jr.
Carbondale
Re: HCE goals
According to The Sopris Sun article “GarCo Report: Eagles are fine, ballots in the mail, Holy Cross Energy (HCE) gains on goals” in the June 5 edition, during a discussion about electricity Commissioner John Martin stated that “It’s important to recognize that we account for our carbon emissions, not only the power that’s being generated but also the resources used to generate them.” Bryan Hannegan of HCE responded that wind and solar life cycle emissions are less than the Comanche Three coal plant.
Perhaps he is not emphatic enough. “Life cycle assessments,” which consider combustion, production, installation, lifetime, recycling, depletion, etcetera, show that “carbon” emissions associated with gas generation are 10 times to 30 times higher than renewables. This doesn’t quite justify the meme which shows a wind turbine dripping oil.
Renewables’ carbon emissions are low despite including fuel for mines, smelters, factories, trucks, ships, cranes, etcetera for all of the towers, foundations, racks, blades, glass, wires, silicon wafers, rare earth magnets … Adding batteries or other energy storage just adds 50%.
Getting the resources for renewable equipment is not without its impacts, though not the rainforest deforestation mentioned. Oil and gas production requires resources too. Demand for frac sand in the U.S. has caused shortages of the sand melted to make glass — ironically raising prices for American solar panels.
I probably agree with Martin’s statement, “We’ll never get to 100%” clean energy. At least, not in my lifetime or without resorting to unrealistic annual “net” accounting used by Aspen and Glenwood. That’s OK, 85% renewable electricity with 15% fossil fuel backup would be awesome enough.
Fred Porter
Carbondale
Name dropping
When I was at one of the local dailies many years ago, one of the front desk gal’s jobs was to count the number of names in that day’s newspaper. I’m not sure exactly why small town newspapers thought this was important to them, but it must have been.
I counted the number of names in the June 6th Sopris Sun and came up with a whopping 90, give or take. Sopris Sun sports correspondent John Stroud led the charge with 23 names in his article about end-of-
season high school sports honors.
In her recent page two column, Sopris Sun board member Anna Huntington said a fifth of the U.S. population lives in “news deserts” — areas “deprived” of local news sources.
In the June 6th Sopris Sun, articles ranged from a front page story on the history of Carbondale’s John M. Fleet swimming pool, the history of the swimming pool’s proposed design and an explanation of the fund-raising effort underway to fully fund the design.
Other articles included: A change of ownership at Capitol Peak Outfitters, an update on Builders FirstSource on Highway 133, coverage of the Third District GOP congressional race forum, an article on that week’s Garfield County commissioner meeting, a photograph of the cattle drive through town by photographer Jane Bachrach and more.
It’s far from Carbondale being a news desert, looks to me like it’s an oasis.
Lynn “Jake” Burton
Glenwood Springs
Vote for Sarah
When voting in Eagle County during the primary election, please look at the experience of commissioner candidate Sarah Smith Hymes (www.sarahforeaglecounty.org). Her roots in Eagle County are deep. Sarah is a small business owner, teacher and a highly experienced public servant. As the former mayor of Avon, she has worked successfully on Eagle County issues: water, affordable housing, protecting our environment and making sure that businesses are treated properly.
Sarah has delivered results in the past and will continue to do so by listening, asking the tough questions, working hard,and making the difficult decisions. Sarah Smith Hymes is a proven leader who will represent ALL of Eagle County as our next county commissioner. I will be voting for Sarah, and I encourage you to vote for her too.
Rich Carroll
Avon
Second that
I enthusiastically endorse Sarah Smith Hymes for the District Two Eagle County commissioner seat. I have known Sarah for 25 years and can attest to her intelligence, integrity, energy, wisdom and inspiring commitment to contribute to her community. Sarah is a true public servant whose years of dedicated and impactful service in elected office, and on nonprofit boards, have more than prepared her to be a highly knowledgeable and effective advocate for the county’s citizens. I am particularly impressed with Sarah’s work with state and regional parties on complex issues including climate action, water conservation, affordable housing and economic development. I urge you to join me in voting for Sarah in the June primary.
Susan Gruber
Avon
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