State climate law deserves praise

Hawaii’s “first-in-the-nation” climate change bill is now law, not, as in other states, a mere “pledge” that is easily abandoned or reversed.

Richard Borreca’s “more smoke than substance” column (“Despite fanfare, Hawaii’s touted environmental strides are more smoke than substance,” Star-Advertiser, On Politics, June 11), misses this important point and ignores the “adaptation” portion of the bill, which recognizes that some climate change is inevitable no matter what we do and mandates a number of actions to deal with it. Here are two sentences from the legislation’s summary (italics mine):

“Requires the State to expand strategies and mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions statewide in alignment with the principles and goals adopted in the Paris Agreement. … Makes appropriations for purposes of this Act and a climate change mitigation and adaptation coordinator position.”

There is much more Hawaii needs to do, but given the national context, our state’s legislation deserves praise, and we can hope it will be emulated. Like elections, legislation has consequences.

Richard Tillotson

Punchbowl

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Why does U.S. have territories?

With a voter turnout of about 25 percent, Puerto Rico voted overwhelmingly for statehood. Given their sad economic state of affairs, perhaps that’s why.

The U.S. has 16 territories, five inhabited: American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. In this day and age, why do we maintain any territories? Hopefully President Donald Trump will set them all free.

Fred Fogel

Volcano

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Rail won’t help environment

Editorials, letters and dubious claims by the likes of the Sierra Club about rail being good for the environment are completely delusional.

Instead, rail will permanently condemn this island to increasing traffic gridlock and excessive energy consumption because we have squandered all available monies to build a train that will not help.

By wasting $10 billion, we have nothing left for actual traffic solutions. We blew it. A much better solution would have been bus rapid transit with high-occupancy lanes on the elevated guideway. Imagine a future fleet of lightweight autonomous electric buses and vanpools picking up commuters near home, and taking seated passengers nonstop to a variety of destinations, attracting large ridership with efficient service.

It could still happen if we convert the guideway to bus lanes, reinforcing it if necessary. But unfortunately our corrupt political system, greedy private interests, apathetic public and ignorant leaders make this extremely unlikely.

Dennis Callan

Makiki

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Newer workers need training

After reading Neil Irwin’s article on why productivity is low and why wages aren’t rising, it’s obvious the author looked to answers from economists rather than American small business owners (“The mystery of higher wages,” Star-Advertiser, June 11).

Employers don’t have to pay more because there are many people who have been sitting on the bench, waiting for good jobs. Some for many years. Many are happy to work part-time, which is often less expensive than full-time workers. Therefore, regular full-timers are only receiving modest pay increases.

One reason productivity is sluggish is because these new hires need training and experience to be profitable. Paperwork is on the rise, bogging down managers. Managers also are younger, lacking employee skills.

Wages will climb and productivity will soar once both workers and management develop their skills.

Don Fernandez

Small business owner

Kailua

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We appreciate military sacrifice

I was saddened to read the commentary about the writer’s difficulty appreciating the military in Hawaii, stating the need for the military to “earn” his appreciation (“Tough to embrace military here due to environmental harm,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, May 18).

The “military” that he can’t appreciate are brave men and women, serving their country thousands of miles from their homes, defending all of us and our freedom, willing to lay down their lives in that defense.

He finds it “difficult to appreciate” their sacrifice and that of their families. Missed births, birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, graduations and family time are only part of that sacrifice.

He should go to Punchbowl, read the gravestones of the “military” who lost their lives defending our freedom and then say “I don’t appreciate you.”

He should attend a military funeral for a fallen service member, go to the grieving family and tell them they need to “earn the appreciation.”

This Flag Day, show our military families we appreciate them and their sacrifice.

Glenn Takemoto

Mililani