• Televised mayoral debate was community service
• Let’s do it
• Ethanol mired in today
• Learn of religion before preaching
Televised mayoral debate was community service
First let me tell you that I think it’s wonderful we had a televised mayoral debate. I have yet to make my decision for mayor of our wonderful island. But I do have some issues with the editing of the debate. It sure seemed to me that a lot of the time, when Rolf Bieber tried to speak, he would be abruptly cut off. In all fairness, we should have been able to hear what he and all the candidates had to say. If the editing was due to a time issue, as it was explained at the beginning of the debate, they certainly could have cut other minutes to allow the candidates to finish their thoughts. There were quite a few shots of the audience, some of them full screen while the candidates were speaking. Sometimes I did not know who was speaking. I regret that I do not have the candidates’ voices memorized. At the end of the show we were invited to call in “live,” but there was no phone number given. I just want to make a well-informed decision for the future of our beloved Kaua‘i.
Sharon Turnbull
Princeville
Let’s do it
The message was clear: At last week’s renewable energy conference, with dozens of nationally recognized experts on hand, it was a rare opportunity for us to learn what these folks had to say.
The message was clear: Wake up. This is a crisis. Especially for Kaua‘i. KIUC’s goal of 20 percent renewables by 2020 is not fast enough. Our county’s goal of crafting an energy plan in 18 months is not fast enough. We are more than 90 percent dependent on oil from countries that do not like us very much.
The message was clear: We need political will. We need aggressive visionary leadership in both our government and KIUC. We, as citizens, must urge, educate and support those who realize the importance of creating a sustainable Kaua‘i.
The message was clear: We have abundant renewable resources of wind, sun, water and enough off-grade agricultural lands suitable for bio fuels. We have it all right here.
The message was clear: We need a “smart grid” designed for our island that can facilitate the intermittent power resources.
The message was clear: There are funds available to help Kaua‘i accomplish this goal. We just need to ask.
The message was clear: We cannot continue to import oil and export millions of dollars.
The message was clear: We are an island. We have resources. We can do this. We must do this.
The message is clear: It is up to us. We can do this, Kaua‘i. Let’s get to work.
Pamela Burrell
Kilauea
Ethanol mired in today
Elaine Albertson is correct (“Ethanol is not filthy,” Letters, Sept. 14): Sugar is the most productive crop for ethanol today.
But what of tomorrow? She states that “Distilling ethanol requires heat, but none of the other additives that oil refining does, such as complex hydrocarbon chemicals, etc.” and is therefore clean. Burning ethanol is relatively clean, but producing it is not. The only fuel energy-intensive enough to provide that distillation heat is, you guessed it, filthy oil.
On top of that, it takes one unit of oil and gas energy, more or less, to produce one unit of ethanol energy, if one includes the natural gas to make the fertilizer and the gasoline to run the farm machinery. That’s a net gain of zero, with double the pollution.
Another serious problem with ethanol from cane is the amount of land it would take. To produce enough ethanol to run our vehicles in Hawai‘i would require more ag land than exists in the entire state. And we’d need one huge stinking refinery.
Tomorrow is the future, not today. Scientists have speculated that carbon could be efficiently sequestered … more efficiently certainly than by growing cane … by fertilizing the ocean with iron. That would cause algae blooms, which would absorb carbon dioxide, die, and sink to the bottom of the sea. We have an abundance of iron on Kaua‘i in our red clay. Wouldn’t it be nice to see west Kaua‘i return to a condition resembling pre-contact days, when Hawaiians paddled their canoes from Waimea to Mana? The area is a natural flood plain. I envision hundreds of shallow brackish ponds growing algae. Instead of sucking up huge amounts of water like sugar, these would preserve water. If we could get the politics out of the way, they might not only provide a more efficient crop for the production of ethanol, they might be worth more carbon offset credits than growing cane. Plus they could be stocked with tilapia to eat the mosquitos, and to feed humans and birds. Let’s not stay stuck in the technology of the past, Elaine. Let’s lead, not follow.
Richard Olson
Kekaha
Learn of religion before preaching
As a sinner forgiven and embraced by Jesus Christ I find Peter Saker’s letter quite alarming (“The truth can set him free,” Letters, Sept. 18).
Why he decided to point out the sliver in Gene Lyon’s eye while ignoring the log in his own is a slap in the face to God’s covenent with Abraham.
Lyon’s words can easily be dismissed as an opinion. The ramblings of “the Bible according to Mr. Saker,” is scary. Both individuals would benefit greatly from an advanced class in religions of the world from a reputable institution of higher learning.
Remember that Christ requested us to love God and love our neighbors. I didn’t see much of any love in Saker’s letter. Maybe there wasn’t any love in Mr. Lyon’s commentary but he does not profess to being a follower of Christ, either.
Eduardo Valenciana
Lihu‘e
