I think Gov. David Ige is to be commended for his position on the NextEra bid to buy Hawaiian Electric Industries.

NextEra’s move to substitute natural gas for dirty oil and coal only would replace one environmental problem with another one.

The governor’s idea to go from what we have now to use of renewable energy sources — solar, wind, geothermal — in one big step forward is the way to go. These are renewable energy sources we have already and don’t need to buy from another state or country.

I hope the governor also can support the move to have the state or the counties buy the units that operate in each county and operate them as true public utilities, like the various county water agencies.

Privately owned, for-profit companies cannot operate with the public’s interest at heart. HEI and NextEra serve their stockholders, not the public, and that is why they have been slow to use renewable energy sources.

Mel Sakaguchi
Hilo

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Try ‘swamp coolers’ in hot public schools

People living in the very hot and dry areas of southern Arizona and southwestern Texas use swamp coolers to cool their houses and some schools.

Swamp coolers use tiny streams of water running in front of an electric fan.

It is much more efficient and economical than an air conditioner for the hot and dry areas of Hawaii.

I know, because I lived in southern Arizona and southwestern Texas for 20 years. The temperatures there range between 100 to 120 in the summer.

The government may want to send an engineer to investigate if Hawaii could apply that type of cooling technology on the Leeward side.

Meanwhile, blowing the fan onto a block or a bucket of ice may help to cool the classroom more efficiently.

Also, please make sure that the students are drinking large amounts of water to prevent dehydration and heat exhaustion.

Cecilia Graybeal
Makiki

Senator’s job not about ‘popular will’

With all due respect, who is Phil Broms to define the alleged “growing opposition by the people to the Iran nuclear deal” (“Schatz ignoring the popular will,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Sept. 18)?

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz was elected not only to look after the interests of the people of Hawaii, but also what’s in the best interests of the U.S. nation as a whole.

Senators are supposed to follow the dictates of their conscience and not necessarily be reading and following polls.

U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye over several generations was both non-partisan and a traditional party loyalist, and a protector of corporate interests such as Matson, e.g., the Jones Act.

Thomas “T.J.” Davies Jr.
Kakaako

Cost hikes will be the norm for rail

The reason for starting rail service after the 15-mile mark is reached is to save money by delaying the operation and maintenance cost of running railway cars until a later date.

Hey, Aloha Stadium is a key destination! Football games?

Meanwhile, some may think that escalators are a “nice to have,” and not needed at the rail stations.

If so, they had better increase the number of elevators at the rail stations, because many of us senior citizens cannot climb four stories of stairs.

Just in case, have defibrillators along the stairs.

We, the taxpayers of Oahu, realize rail will not be completed by 2021. We also realize the $200 million increase in overruns is just one of many more cost increases to come.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell and the ambitious mayor-to-be waiting in the wings, City Council Chairman Ernie Martin, both support rail.

We are so screwed.

Peter Chisteckoff
Mililani Mauka

Homeless feeling boot of police state

When people are rousted by local authorities and their possessions, including their driver’s licenses and other forms of identification, are confiscated, they are not only the victims of our economic system, they are victims of a police state.

With no ID and no driver’s license, a person becomes a non-person.

There is no excuse. Period.

Even if the homeless people are not forced into camps, think hard. If they can do it to them, they can do it to you.

Slippery slope, slippery slope.

Beverly Kai
Kakaako

Homeless should clean up own mess

When a police officer sees a person littering a public area, that person is issued a citation for littering.

When homeless people leave their encampment area, they leave their makeshift home, tents and garbage, and leave the site a terrible mess.

When a homeless sweep is announced, city maintenance crews should place dumpsters in the encampment area. The homeless people must be told to place their garbage in the dumpsters and clean up their area before they leave or be cited for littering.

Homeless people must be held responsible for their mess and the city maintenance crews should not have to clean up after them.

Pro Calma
Pearl City