The plunder of reef fish needs to be prevented

Research on Hawaii reefs in 1999 determined that excessive aquarium collecting had caused the yellow tang population to decline by 47 percent. Other species were much worse.

Aquarium collecting was subsequently prohibited on 35 percent of West Hawaii reefs. The results, 10 years later: Unbridled collecting has led to yellow tang populations that today are 45 percent lower. The take is officially "unsustainable," according to the state Division of Aquatic Resources.

But that’s not the message Honolulu City Council heard last week in testimony from Oahu’s aquarium fish wholesalers. If we are to believe them, evidence of depletion doesn’t exist, and taking even more beautiful tropical fish is what’s best for Hawaii, our economy and our reefs.

Unlike endemic birds, Hawaii’s endemic fish aren’t protected from the pet trade. State Department of Land and Natural Resources data shows the trade has over-collected several endemic species that are now rarely seen in West Hawaii, although they were once common.

Must all our fish be so depleted before something is done to stop the plunder? 

New leadership would offer hope for change

I’m glad to see the next generation of leaders step up to the plate and challenge the status quo.

When older representatives tried to pass a tax increase on our homeowner’s association last year, Reps. Scott Nishimoto, Tom Brower and a few of these younger lawmakers helped stop it.

We need more leaders like them who can think outside the box and solve the problems the older politicians can’t seem to solve.

Let’s hope new leadership will change things at the Capitol.

There are many ways we could cut spending

All I hear about when we talk about cutting the federal budget is defense spending, Social Security and raising taxes.

In the last two years we have increased the number of federal employees by more than 130,000.

Here are some suggestions: Eliminate the Department of Education, cut the size of the Department of Energy by 50 percent and all other departments by up to 20 percent, change Social Security and Medicare, reconsider health care reform (the current law will break us), stop the waivers to health care and cut the pay of our congressional leaders.

The country is bankrupt and our leaders aren’t making the hard decisions. We all have to roll up our sleeves and do a little suffering (including the unions). We enjoyed the good times, now we must all work together or we will end up like some European countries.

Zippy’s Benefit Chili benefits Zippy’s most

Who hasn’t been approached by a family member or friend selling Zippy’s Benefit Chili? Everyone sells it, and everyone buys it, because it’s Zippy’s, a statewide, recognized brand.

Those business card-sized tickets can collect in your wallet as you try to support all of your fundraising friends.

Zippy’s used to accept expired tickets, and why shouldn’t it? The fundraising organization already paid it the $3.85 per ticket, the supposed cost of the chili. But I found out the hard way that Zippy’s policy has changed. Per its website: "For a period of two months after the expiration date only, ticket can be used for redemption for an additional $2.00. No Exceptions. No Grace Period."

You forgot. Now you’re stuck between paying a total of $9 for that little tub, or receiving nothing for your $7 while donating $3.85 to Zippy’s. Who is it really benefiting? 

People need to learn the value of recycling

Do you recycle on the island of Oahu? Oahu produces about 23,000 tons of trash a year. Today on Oahu about 65 percent of the population recycles. That is good, but if we could get that up to 90 percent or higher, that would be even better. We have more than 50 recycling points on the island. Look online and you’ll probably find one near your house.

One of the main recycling problems we have is sorting. People are too lazy to actually sort plastic, glass and cans. If we could just require everyone to sort all their trash into separate bins, then it would just be normal to separate all your trash. We could have every store or gas station install recycling bins on the side of the building or have recycling trucks go around and pick up recycling whenever they see it.

If we could teach everyone the value of recycling, Hawaii’s recycling problem would be no more.