• Do the math • Recycle concrete • Getting answers • Mahalo to Kaua‘i Do the math Global warming is news again with the climate change conference on O‘ahu this week. But how much of global warming is due to
• Do the math
• Recycle concrete
• Getting answers
• Mahalo to Kaua‘i
Do the math
Global warming is news again with the climate change conference on O‘ahu this week. But how much of global warming is due to carbon dioxide levels caused by humans? The experts are giving us all different stories. These debates are so politically motivated on both sides that any scientific claims made are highly questionable.
So what are lay people like us supposed to believe? I suggest that the best course is to try to do some figuring yourself. Here is an example calculation:
The average temperatures of planets are as follows: Mercury: 600 degrees; Venus: 860 degrees; Earth: 56 degrees; and Mars: -81 degrees (all in Fahrenheit). Venus is 45 percent of the way from Earth to Mercury. Therefore, its temperature should average around 300 degrees. However, Venus is 505 degrees hotter than it should be. Venus’ air is 97 percent CO2 and it is 90 times thicker than our air.
The CO2 in our air is around 380 parts per million (ppm). Venus has around 170,000 times as many CO2 molecules in a cubic foot of air as Earth does. If Venus has 170,000 times as much CO2 and it is 505 degrees hotter than it should be, we can divide and make an estimate. The result is that if we would need to increase our level of CO2 to 337 times what it is today in order to get a 1 degree F increase. At current rates of increase of CO2 (doubling the current level in around 200 more years), it would take us around 67,000 years to increase the Earth’s temperature by 1 degree.
This analysis is quite simplistic, but it is based on clear, unbiased facts. If you can improve on it, I am eager to read what you have to offer. I want to see real facts and real calculations. I do not think it is wise to have blind faith in a group of politically motivated, so-called “experts.”
Apparently, the earth has actually been warming since the 1600s but is still not as warm as it was around the year 1000, when Greenland was a decent place for Vikings to settle. And, of course, ice ages are apparently a regular natural event on our planet. Anyway, the subject is quite complicated, but I would like to see less politics and more science.
Mark Beeksma
Koloa
Recycle concrete
It has occurred to me there might be some money to be made from recycling the concrete from the Coco Palms. Several tons are there. A new material is made today combining recycled concrete with styrofoam. It is called light-weight concrete and has fabulous insulative properties.
Elaine Bihn-Kley
Kalaheo
Getting answers
Years ago when Robert Kennedy Jr. visited Kaua‘i he told me, “Democracy not only gives people the right to ask a question, but more importantly get an answer.” I guess his visit was not long enough to really get to know Kaua‘i and how things are done around here. Illustrative of how things are done here is the article “County protects legal opinion,” A1, Jan. 30, which can be summarized as follows:
• A citizen asks if a County Council action was in error as a matter of law.
• Councilmember Jay Furfaro assures the citizen he will get the citizen an answer and asks for a opinion from the county attorney.
• The county attorney issues an opinion.
• The council refuses to release the opinion to the public.
• A citizen asks the county Board of Ethics for an opinion.
• The county ethics board refuses to give an opinion.
• The County Council continues its questionable action while Councilmember JoAnn Yukimura hopes people understand the council actions are taken with the “highest intentions.”
Perhaps the council should spend less time protecting a secret “legal opinion” and try protecting a citizen’s right to get an answer.
Edward Coll
Puhi
Mahalo to Kaua‘i
It is with great sadness that I tell you that my mother, Meg Holloway, passed away unexpectedly at an all too young age of 72.
It is with great joy and appreciation that I tell you the impact Kaua‘i had on her life. After my wife and I purchased a home on Kaua‘i four years ago, my parents were able to spend a number of months on the island. That time forever changed my mother’s life.
She loved Kaua‘i and you loved her back. Within one hour of them arriving on Kaua‘i, a dear sweet person working at Sears invited them to dinner at her house. They appreciated so much the wonderful aloha shared with them by our neighbors Auntie Annabelle, Chris and the Chandlers. I am forever in your debt for how welcoming you were to them.
They loved our Kaua‘i church home at Ohana Christian Fellowship. It was a view into heaven for her to see all nations, tribes and tongues giving praise to Jesus Christ.
Her funeral here in Florida was a wonderful blend of traditions. Our dear friend Joani Lendahl, along with Joyce of Lihu‘e and Manny of Kekaha gave my mother the most wonderful gift of two leis. The princess lei was an amazing work of art and showed the deep care, respect and honor they offered to my mother’s memory. Manny also collected wildflowers and maile for a lei to adorn her portrait. The fragrance was as sweet as their friendship.
At the end of the service, we played the song “Aloha oe.” Jeneka Kekuaokalani, originally from O‘ahu, danced a poignant hula to the Queen’s song. I placed the beautiful lei on my mother and kissed her farewell. I put a lei made by my wife on each of our three children and kissed them. Being Baptist, there was a Baptism pool in our church. We pretended this was the ocean. They each went to the pool and cast their leis on the water as a symbol of the beautiful tradition we have witnessed many times on Kalihiwai Beach from our home.
In typical aloha fashion, Jeneka refused payment and insisted that her dance was a gift to my mother.
I can’t thank you enough for sharing the richness of the Hawaiian culture and your aloha with my mother. It changed the last years of her life and gave us a deeply meaningful way to honor her passing.
Dwight Holloway
Winter Park, Florida
