I love my heavy-duty, reusable plastic shopping bag.

I paid 25 cents for it at a farmers’ market. I fold it up and carry it in my fanny pack, where I never forget it. I expect to use it dozens of times before putting it in the trash where it will be burned to produce electric power.  

If there is a problem with the reusable plastic bags it’s that they need to be priced higher so they are not treated like disposable ones. Given the choice between paying for a reusable plastic bag and a free paper bag, I suspect many environmentally conscious local residents will opt for the former.

There is no virtue in killing trees. Tourists will probably opt for free paper. A higher price on reusable plastic bags will help keep plastic away from the beaches while minimizing consumption of single-use paper bags. It seems like basic economics.

James B. Young
St. Louis Heights

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Bring own bags to the store

In 1971 I lived in Germany as an exchange student. Way back then, the Germans took their own bags to the store, or the store charged for providing a bag — a great system.

So since 1971, I have taken my own bags to the store. At the rate of, say, three bags a week, that makes 6,864 bags not dumped by me alone. Multiply by everyone in Germany, and that’s a lot of bags.

May I suggest that the stores provide only paper bags, on request, and charge for them. The charge reminds us to bring a bag next time. The stores don’t lose money on bags. And the paper breaks down in the environment and doesn’t kill fish and sea birds. It’s a great system for all.

Lorna Holmes
Iwilei

TMT comments inflammatory

Labeling Mauna Kea protectors as “perpetual malcontents,” Art Whistler diminishes the sacrifices of generations of heroic men and women — from Selma, Ala., to Johannesburg, South Africa — who non-violently stood up to systematic oppression and denial of civil rights (“Open Mauna Kea and move on,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, July 7).

Clearly religious freedom is a right worth fighting for.

More worrisome is the way Whistler points to the protectors as representing “one ethnic group continually seeking attention for more entitlements for perceived wrongdoings” — a provocative, divisive tactic undermining the unique multicultural community we share in Hawaii.

It’s disturbing that the Star-Advertiser published this letter when racist, divisive discourse — such as calling Mauna Kea protectors a “horde of Native Hawaiians” — is featured so prominently in pro-Thirty Meter Telescope commentary.

At a time when long-simmering race hatred is boiling over in murderous rage across the continent, journalistic ethics cry out for caution in publishing such inflammatory language.

Mary Alice Ka‘iulani Milham
Makaha

Shelter should help children

I was surprised to read Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s remarks regarding who will be placed first once the housing center on Sand Island opens this fall: “There are units for individuals, there are units for couples, and if that works we’ll be looking to open it up to families with children, too” (“IHS to open homeless site by fall,” Star-Advertiser, July 3).

At first, the city’s original plan was to house only individuals. However, due to requests by the public, the plan has been modified to include couples. It’s sad enough that individuals and couples are homeless. But it’s worse when children are involved. The Caldwell administration has its priorities out of order. It should be reversed. The welfare of the children needs to come first.

Alexis M. Liftee
Nuuanu

Donate to help the homeless

Sometimes folks forget about the practical solutions to homeless problems. Caught up with the business of life, neglectful thinking makes us somewhat helpless. Creative thoughtfulness makes kokua beneficial.

The homeless population should get assistance in social, psychological and physical ways.

We don’t need a concert to raise funds. What are the rich doing? One can only use so much money. We belong to a community and we should be assisting each other immeasurably to better all our lives.

So donate to your favorite concerns and we can be on our way to alleviating the human puzzle that has us stumped much of the time.

From whom much is given, much is expected.

Gabrielle L. Makuakane
McCully