The impact that Tropical Storm Darby had on Oahu feels like yet another red flag that how we are living on this island is simply not sustainable.

With climate change continuing as it is, I feel uneasy about how Oahu will fare against the predicted increased frequency of storms and other extreme weather patterns — not only for the sake of our precious natural environment, but for the sake of business and human health.

We should heed these warnings and work on setting an example for the rest of the nation. A good start would be to pass a carbon fee and dividend, which would make clean energy more competitive, and help keep some of the $5 billion that Hawaii spends annually on foreign oil here on the islands.

Alison Crabb

Manoa

Restore true summer breaks

We fully agree with Julian E. Takabayshi (“Change schedule to help cool classes,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, July 11).

Why do we keep moving our school summer break to earlier months each year to where it is now May to July? Why are we throwing our students and teachers back into the oven-hot classrooms in August? May and June are still relatively comfortable.

When we were growing up, our summer break used to be mainly in July and August, when it was designed to relieve both the students and teachers during the most hot summer months.

Rather than fighting against Mother Nature and wasting more taxpayers’ money on more costly air conditioners and high electric bills, let’s go with the flow and return the summer break to where it belongs. Let’s use some common sense and give everyone, especially our students, teachers and taxpayers, a break.

Max K. Yamaguchi

Mililani

Use private firms more for transit

I think many of us agree that the real solution to Honolulu’s transit problem is modifying our cultural mindset by getting commuters out of their personal vehicles and off the road during peak commuting periods.

This can be achieved only when commuters are provided a cost-effective, expeditious, comfortable and safe alternative.

One initiative that has demonstrated its effectiveness in other metropolitan areas is a balance between public and private bus operations. The coordination of private transport services with transit and other passenger transportation providers has the potential to improve efficiency and promote service capabilities from all providers, both public and private, by increasing options for passengers.

This is especially true in rural areas where passengers have fewer mass transportation services available and the marginal cost of operations in these areas is higher.

We should support programs that enhance and encourage public-private sector cooperation in services and facilities.

William Anonsen

Kakaako

Have pot profits go to community

Recently, our state fitted nine favored companies with licenses to cultivate and provide medical marijuana to the sick, which will generate millions of dollars in profits.

If we are going to legalize medical marijuana in Hawaii, the community should benefit from the profits.

Why not team with the state Department of Agriculture to form a medical marijuana agency that would help minimize patients’ expenses?

Tony Gonzalez

Waianae

Feral cats leave mark all over

Disneyland is shown as an example of the success of the trap-neuter-release (TNR) program (“Feral cats could be symbiotic opportunity,” Star-Advertiser, Letters, July 24).

Disneyland has about 200 feral cats across 85 acres of land, where most of the TNR participants feed the feral animals in significantly less space. When one individual within a neighborhood decides to feed a colony of cats, the entire neighborhood is affected by that decision.

The feral cats defecate and urinate on everything they consider within their territory, including doors, windows and lanai furniture. Animal owners should be held responsible for animals in their care. Dogs are not permitted to defecate on the property of others, and are not allowed to roam unsupervised. There is no reason cats should be permitted to do so. If it eats, keep it on your property.

Randy Viellenave

Alewa Heights

Trump is like Sen. McCarthy

“Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?”

With these words, Joseph N. Welch, an attorney representing the U.S. Army, confronted U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy during the televised McCarthy- Army hearings in the early 1950s. In these hearings, the infamous McCarthy used lies and innuendo to slander many innocent people.

Today we have a reincarnation of McCarthy. He is spewing hate and misinformation every time he opens his mouth. When are the Republican leaders going to confront him and ask, “Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?”

James A. Hildenbrand

Waialae Iki

Delegate’s flip off understandable

Permit me to defend the Democrat delegate who flipped off Hillary Clinton (“Sanders supporter who gave middle finger kicked out of Hawaii delegation,” Star-Advertiser, July 27).

I understand her frustration and wonder at the attention the media is showering on the resulting moral outrage. The delegate’s behavior lacked class, but she is a small creature confronting a giant dragon. Where is the moral outrage against Clinton’s decades of pernicious behavior?

Recently Clinton has been declared grossly negligent by the FBI, but her entire career is a fabric of lies. Far worse than her dissembling, she is the enabler of Bill Clinton’s serial perversions that continue to this day.

Explain to me how an extended finger is worse than exploiting the people of Haiti or ruining the lives of women or sucking hundreds of millions of dollars out of a corrupt political system.

Scott G. Gier

Ewa Beach

Couple supports ‘Auntie Hillary’

My wife I have watched both major political party conventions and we have four words we would like to say: You go, Auntie Hillary.

Bill and Elaine Schroeder

Kailua

Waikiki Beach has deteriorated

We have visited Waikiki three times in the last six years. This time, the beach area is not as clean as it was in the past and the shower areas are blocked with sand. At the zoo end of the beach, they are mossy and slippery. We are a couple of “oldies” and have found this to be hazardous.

We love Waikiki and have always thought our beaches at home could learn from the tidiness and cleanliness of the public areas, but this time we have been very disappointed with the standard of cleanliness.

Bob Maxwell

Sydney, Australia