Bottled water seller abuses isle resource

Kudos to Andrew Gomes for his article on Waiakea Hawaiian Volcanic Water (“From the tap,” Star-Advertiser, July 31).

Like the cremated remains in “memorial reef” concrete balls that could possibly occupy space in our precious Maunalua Bay (“Memorial reef idea gets cool reception,” Star-Advertiser, July 28), this is yet another example of exploiting our natural resources for commercial gain.

Furthermore, what is “environmentally responsible” about taking water from the Pahoa community, shipping it to California for filtration and bottling, and donating a small portion of it to Africa?

Carbon footprint, anyone?

Our elected officials and policymakers need to take a closer look.

Hoku Johnson

Kalama Valley

Give public a say in sanctuary expansion

When a Republican president created the Papahanaumokua- kea Marine National Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian islands, an additional 139,000 square miles of our state’s ocean was made kapu to our state residents without asking the voting public for consent.

Now a Democratic U.S. senator has proposed expanding that kapu to more than four times its size, again without a voting process that would allow all state residents to participate.

As a local fisherman, I think we need to be aware of how these things are done and what is at stake.

This issue is more than about fresh fish. Most disconcerting is the absence of a democratic process that would allow self-determination for our state’s residents.

Ben Wong

Kaneohe

State should finish building rail system

The state of Hawaii has vastly greater resources than the city; it should have built rail.

Because of inaction, the city was forced to take on the massive project by obtaining federal grants and begging the state to create a general excise tax surcharge.

The state, eyeing a cash cow, keeps millions of dollars from the surcharge to pay its own bills. The Legislature also wants overhead advertising rights, reducing the amount that was to be used to operate rail, and are balking at funding rail to completion.

The simply solution is for the state to take over the project.

Absent that, it should fund the project to completion.

Roy Kamisato

Niu Valley

Campaign signs way out of control

As I go to and from work each day, I see along our highways campaign signs and banners that have gotten completely out of control.

The banners are big, with pictures of the candidates. Is it necessary to have banners spread across our countryside?

Honokai Hale, Nanakuli, Maili and Waianae are beautiful without those banners and signs.

Limit the amount of banners. It’s just overkill, to put it mildly.

People should be sensible, respectful and thoughtful of our aina. If candidates don’t get elected, they should take down their signs the next day. Ditto for the winners.

I’m pretty sure other drivers have noticed and share my sentiment.

Proper campaign ethics can be a strong point and a boost for those seeking public office. Candidates should think about it, show some aloha for our kupuna and take pride in our community.

John Keala

Maili

Lyft good for drivers who need flexibility

As a military spouse who has driven for Lyft, I am concerned about new rules being considered by the Honolulu City Council that would treat ride-share the same as taxis.

The flexibility of Lyft has been invaluable to me. When my husband deploys, or is away for long periods of training, the entire burden of domestic life is on me. With Lyft, I can drive when I am available and simply stop when duty calls him away and I have to pick up the slack here at home.

This flexible schedule is what differentiates taxi and ride-share drivers. A mom who drives sometimes only four hours a month cannot afford to pay the same fees as a full-time taxi driver.

I encourage the City Council to consider the circumstances of ride-share drivers like myself before deciding to make it more difficult and expensive to drive with Lyft.

Stephanie Lewis

Wahiawa

Our schoolchildren need cool rooms, too

I had to smile just a bit at the article in Thursday’s paper: “No cool air till at least Tuesday at Fasi building” (Star-Advertiser, July 28).

I wonder what they’d do if the article read, “No cool air for the rest of the year”?

The situation was bad enough that the city managing director initially gave agency chiefs the authority to grant paid administrative leave to their employees for Monday and part of Tuesday.

I imagine it would be a bit difficult to concentrate and perform optimally in an un-air-conditioned environment with all this heat and humidity.

Yet that is what we are asking of our schoolchildren: to concentrate and perform optimally.

Really?

Sally L. Jones

Kailua

Hawaiians should ‘optimize’ situation

Hurrah for David Dela Cruz’s pragmatic and logical view (“Hawaii was ripe for being ‘stolen’,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, July 28).

Native Hawaiians should concentrate on keeping the culture alive and ensure that it is passed on for eternity by partnering with the federal government to ensure that it happens.

Why bite the hand that feeds us? Optimize the situation.

What is the downside of receiving federal financial assistance to support the culture and education of Native Hawaiians?

Jack Robinson

Kailua