I cannot stop thinking about the cruelty of Bill 49 (“Honolulu City Council pushes fines, jail for shopping cart violations,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 10). Shopping carts have always been and will always be a stopgap for those navigating difficult daily life without shelter.
At the risk of grossly oversimplifying a complicated issue, what if we considered this alternative to the City Council’s criminalization of survival?
>> Host a contest among engineering students to design a better cart, uniquely designed to suit Oahu’s environment.
>> Social work and welfare students could interview willing houseless people about helpful practical cart features.
>> Business, advertising, finance and public administration classes could fund the carts with a mix of grants, fundraising campaigns and advertising of local businesses.
>> Nonprofit groups could host cart swap days across the island to recover store carts in exchange for better carts, with no penalty.
A collaborative creative endeavor could minimize sidewalk disruption, reduce law enforcement strain, decrease business financial loss and, most importantly, provide a more dignified alternative for the unsheltered.
Lauren Weldon May
Kapolei
EXPRESS YOURSELF
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