Reuse, recycle, stop generating waste

A recent article on possible landfill sites ended with a vital message that we don’t hear often enough, particularly from officials (“City again takes first steps to relocate landfill,” Star-Advertiser, April 28).

Mahalo to Department of Environmental Services Director Wesley Yokoyama for saying that source reduction is the key, and that our single-use, disposable- oriented consumerism is the main culprit.

Minimizing our waste will help manage our need for landfill capacity, while reducing impacts on quality of life both near and far from these communal disposal sites, including:

>> Proximal, continual health issues from air, water, soil and noise pollution.

>> Disparity in economic, environmental and social well-being.

>> Wide-ranging, climate change-driving damage from natural resource depletion and emissions, made exponential by repeated manufacturing and distributing of short-term-use items.

I reiterate his call to action: We need to start thinking about and changing our mindset. Prioritize buying used or upcycled items and those with less packaging, and opt for higher-quality, long-lasting products when buying new.

Melody Heidel

Kailua

Whole world must defeat COVID-19

COVID-19 knows no borders; why should we?

The ongoing global pandemic has changed how we view the world as a whole. Recently, the discussion of focusing solely on internal efforts has been gaining more traction.

There is no way to overcome this pandemic if the rest of the world remains defeated.

The world’s vulnerable have suffered the most consequences from the COVID-19 pandemic, further marginalizing already impoverished countries. Therefore, it is imperative to support the International Affairs Budget.

When responding to my request to protect the International Affairs Budget, U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono wrote that the COVID-19 pandemic had highlighted the fact that international cooperation remains an essential part of U.S. national security and foreign policy. Only about 1% of the entire federal budget goes to international development and humanitarian assistance efforts, but the benefits the U.S. receives in return are immense.

Michele Hillenbrand,

Borgen Project advocate

Chinatown

Time for governor to lift restrictions

There are nearly 700 people wanting a town hall meeting with the governor, who keeps saying he’s too busy.

Hundreds of Hawaii citizens are contacting the governor daily, asking him to withdraw his vaccine passport program because it violates the Constitution, and it is not legal to coerce people into taking an experimental vaccine.

Hundreds of Hawaii citizens are asking the governor why Hawaii isn’t among the 21 states that have lifted their COVID restrictions. The regular flu has killed more people in Hawaii each year for the past six years.

Anya Love

Kapaa, Kauai

Don’t judge police for difficult choices

I have read many articles and watched local news regarding the recent police-involved shooting deaths of Iremamber Sykap and Lindani Myeni.

In both cases, they resisted arrest. Sykap was involved in a high-speed chase and driving against the flow of traffic toward police. Myeni attacked officers, injuring three of them.

Regardless of police officers not identifying themselves, who would say, “Show me your hands!” “Get down on the ground!” A homeowner? A pedestrian? A passing jogger? Please.

To these critics I ask: Who are you going to call when you are a victim of a crime or domestic violence? A critic is someone who tells you how to paddle a canoe, but wouldn’t do it himself.

I won’t criticize the police. They have a tough job. I couldn’t do it. A split-second decision between life or death? That’s tough.

Robert K. Soberano

Moiliili

Focus on criminals, not police officers

With an increase in violent crime never before seen in Hawaii, the Prosecutor’s Office is instead focused on a witch hunt (“Honolulu prosecutor Steven Alm announces new oversight process for police shootings,” Star-Advertiser, April 29).

Apparently pressured by the isolated incidents on the mainland, prosecutors feel a need to look for misconduct and whether or not charges should be filed against Honolulu police officers.

What about the police officer who is still recovering from major facial fractures? What about every person who has fallen victim to repeat criminals who prey on vulnerable individuals and are released time and time again, negating the hard work done by the Honolulu Police Department in getting them brought to justice? Why not focus your attention there?

If charges are brought against any HPD officer for doing his or her duty, it will be a miscarriage of justice and solely a response to social pressure — no other reason.

James Roller

Mililani

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