National Geographic claims that 91 percent of plastics are not recycled and wind up in landfills, dumps and the sea. Without recycling, the plastic contributes to ocean pollution, and ends up in beach areas, harming animals.

According to Hawaii journalist Carla Herreria, “The ocean’s currents and powerful trade winds deposit thousands of pounds of man-made trash on (Kamilo Point, Hawaii island) each year” given that the island’s southeastern shore is relatively close to the eastern Pacific garbage patch.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch holds the largest quantity of plastic anywhere on the ocean.

Plastic pollution also has caused complications for many animals. According to the Blue Ocean Society, more than 1 million birds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die each year from eating or getting entangled in plastic.

Truly, our environment deserves better.

Johnwin Garcia

Waipahu

—

Travel ban fight was worth the effort

I beg to differ with Bruce Thabit (“Time, money wasted opposing travel ban,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, June 28).

Then-state Attorney General Douglas Chin and federal District Judge Derrick Watson should not be “reprimanded” but congratulated for managing to block, however temporarily, President Donald Trump’s blatantly discriminatory travel ban.

Also, a 5-4 Supreme Court decision is not a “sweeping reaffirmation.” A sweep would be 9-0; 5-4 is the narrowest possible margin.

John Wythe White

Haleiwa

—

It’s not OK to lie to the news media

Among the things I find disturbing about the Trump administration, the propensity for lying is at the top. But listening to President Donald Trump speak to the press on the White House lawn, we got a window into his thinking.

The statement Trump made regarding Donald Jr.’s meeting with the Russians, which was falsely categorized as a meeting about orphans, was a lie. But since it was told to The New York Times and not in a courtroom under oath, it was OK. It’s not a crime to lie to the media, which is technically correct.

But a free press is the bedrock of our democracy. The press has access to powerful people that the citizenry doesn’t. Lying to a journalist is lying to the people.

It appears that in the eyes of the president and his administration, lying is fine as long as the lie is not made under oath. This means that we’d better get used to it. The lies will continue.

Ken Kessler

Waianae

—

Properly reported news isn’t ‘fake’

When did it become necessary to tweet or be glued to a smartphone to get news of the nation or the world? It’s far too easy to “click” with no filters.

As a journalist, my training was to fact-find, research and verify before putting news in print or on the air. Now, any tweet broadcasts immediately, to be followed by denunciation, apology, condemnation or retraction — more confusion, more facetious commentary.

It’s not news manipulation to have copy readers and editors clarify and justify content. I’m not against social media, but instant everything isn’t necessary or advisable.

I don’t need to iterate cases where instant news has been disastrous. Does anyone even remember that baseball used to be “broadcast” by a sports reader in a sound booth reading off the ticker tape?

Lori Arizumi

Ewa Villages

—

America gives us right to criticize

What makes America great? Unlike in North Korea or Russia, you have the right to desecrate the flag and criticize the president.

When was America greater in the past? When they committed genocide against Native Americans? When they brought slaves from Africa to work on the plantations?

One person deserves to wear the American flag on his lapel: Pat Tillman, who gave up money, an NFL career and his life for America, which I wouldn’t have done myself.

To quote Samuel Johnson: “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”

Ted Fukushima

Ewa Beach

—

Justice served in animal abuse case

Kudos to Judge Trish Morikawa, for not only bringing justice for Tulip, a silky terrier, but sending a message that there are consequences for animal abuse (“Man sentenced to 30 days in jail for animal abuse,” Star-Advertiser, Top News, June 22).

Thank you so much for giving value to their lives. It’s bad enough when these defenseless creatures are abused by people like Steven Boos, but equally bad when there are no serious consequences for such behavior. In essence, nothing is being done to deter it.

It is a fact that those who abuse people often start out by abusing animals. Mahatma Gandhi said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by how it treats its animals.”

Our spirit of compassion, doing the right thing, and aloha must be extended to those most vulnerable, those who have no voice.

Mahalo nui also to the Hawaiian Humane Society, the Prosecutor’s Office, and the veterinary hospital that reported the suspicious-looking repeated injuries. Without them, Tulip would have had to suffer until she died.

Ginny Tiu

Hawaii Loa Ridge

—

World Cup soccer coverage well done

I would like to thank the Star-Advertiser for its excellent coverage of World Cup soccer.

Understanding that soccer is not the most popular sport in the U.S., it is important to us British, and also Japan and South Korea, who are competing. My many thanks for a great job.

Toby Allen

Hawaii Kai