Offer incentives to save more water

Thank you for publishing a recent Kokua Line letter about reducing residential water usage, highlighting the current lack of financial incentives to save water (“Where’s the incentive to save water?”, Star-Advertiser, Kokua Line, Jan. 12).

I, too, am dismayed to save only $8.30 a month for cutting my household water usage in half, after installing new toilets.

My usage plummeted from 4,000 gallons a month to 2,000 gallons. But the cost of replacing my old toilets will not be recouped for many, many years.

Nevertheless, I am glad I finally bothered to throw out my water-wasting toilets.

It is shocking to realize that I already wasted about 624,000 gallons of clean water before I installed my water-saving toilets (2,000 wasted gallons a month during the last 26 years).

I encourage everyone to take this simple step: Install water-saving toilets.

And, of course, Honolulu’s government officials should act now to offer better financial incentives so that all residents can afford to conserve our precious, limited water resources.

Pamela Garrison

Kailua

Nothing is affordable in expensive Hawaii

Right on, Dan Aregger, who voiced his opinion of the front-page article about “affordable” rentals in Waikiki (“New Waikiki studios really aren’t affordable,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, Jan. 13; “Affordable rentals available in new Waikiki high-rise,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 10).

The editors at the Star-Advertiser should do their homework or at least be realistic when publishing stories that should make sense.

Nothing is affordable, with prices of everything going up, and yet the government hesitates to increase the minimum wage. It’s no wonder people are relocating to the mainland since there’s a vast difference in the amount of the minimum wage, and the cost of living is much lower.

Although I have family here and on the mainland, it will be more comfortable living there despite the cold winters.

If you want to retire in Hawaii, you better be a millionaire and then some.

Alan Kitaguchi

Ala Moana

Mental health key issue for UH sports

I had a totally different reaction to Dave Reardon’s column (“Little good comes from University of Hawaii’s dog and pony show in Senate,” Star-Advertiser, Jan. 9) on the University of Hawaii athletics hearing before the state Senate.

More than the bullying tactics of coach Todd Graham, it was very upsetting to hear how dismissive Athletics Director David Matlin, who hired Graham despite being warned about his controversial past, was of the testimony of players and parents on mental health issues. No wonder nearly 20 football players want to leave Hawaii.

This is a major issue in our community and country. For Reardon to not even mention it as a legitimate issue makes me question his sensitivity on this subject. I hope the regents and the UH president do an investigation and review this mental health matter seriously as state Sens. Donovan Dela Cruz and Kurt Fevella are suggesting. If not, they should step down.

Michelle Keliikuli

Waipahu

A dependable forum in trying times

My father, Lawrence M.O. Chun Sr., was an avid reader of the Star-Advertiser and sent many letters that were published in this forum. He was proud of this and would always scan his “published works” for the family to see.

While he was not what one would call an “activist,” he was an active member in the community, church and U.S. Postal Service union. He felt that common- sense, informed citizens and an open forum for discussion are important for the country, the state and our local community. The Star-Advertiser consistently provides this platform for writers to report objective news to inform the public and for citizens like him to voice their opinions.

My father died unexpectedly last year, so I will not be able to look forward to receiving any more of his scanned letters. In spite of this, and on the heels of the one-year anniversary of the Capitol riot, I’m glad to know that the reporting of the Star-Advertiser will continue to be a dependable forum in these trying times, when every issue has become a political flashpoint.

Larry Chun Jr.

Moanalua

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