A tale of two rails
In Portland, Amtrak reports record high profits for its Downeaster train running between Portland and Boston. The BDN’ s July 22 article states that profits are at record-breaking levels because more people than ever are riding the train and that has something to do with the high cost of gasoline.
Here in Washington County a group of supposedly well-meaning people decided it would be best to tear out our railroad tracks and make trails out of the right-of-ways so that tourists and others would have a place to ride their snowmobiles, ATVs and dirt bikes.
You can’ t tell me there aren’ t two Maines.
Walter N. Plaut, Jr.
Lubec
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Meat and oil
Last week, in a major address in the nation’ s capital, former Vice President Al Gore called for a 10-year plan to move the nation’ s entire energy supply to solar, wind and other renewable sources. What he failed to address is the massive role of meat production in the global climate crisis.
An authoritative 2006 report by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization found that animal agriculture accounts for fully 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. That’ s more than automobiles (see coolyourdiet.org.) It is also a major cause of land and water degradation.
Carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas, is emitted by burning forests to create animal pastures and by combustion of fossil fuels to operate feed growing tractors, factory farm and slaughterhouse machinery, trucks and refrigeration equipment. The much more damaging methane and nitrous oxide are discharged from digestive tracts of cattle and from animal waste cesspools, respectively.
The good news is that each of us can do our part to reduce global warming without waiting 10 years. Our local supermarket stocks a rich variety of soy-based lunch nonmeats, hot dogs, veggie burgers, dairy products, and ready-to-eat frozen dinners. Did I mention the cornucopia of fruits and vegetables that have always been readily available to us? More details are at www.tryveg.com.
Barry Jace
Bangor
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Thanks for protecting us
Imagine all the young children who innocently play in their yards or in Fairmount Park on a fine sunny Saturday morning in Bangor. Imagine those same children suddenly encountering a disoriented wild animal.
We thank Warden Jim Fahey for making an informed, professional decision to safeguard the children and adults in our neighborhood.
Paul and Martha Newman
Bangor
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Black clouds over Maine
I felt an ominous chill as the black cloud of McCain passed over my beautiful green state of Maine. The two menacing clouds of McCain and Bush appear to be meshing together and more permanently to create the perfect storm — a storm whose winds and ecological devastation will be experienced not only my children but their children for years to come.
The bright light behind the clouds is the belief in the inherent goodness, fairness and concern for the planet of the people of Maine to remain a blue state on a blue planet. We are not easily hoodwinked and as the saying goes, “As goes Maine, so goes the nation.”
Viki Kennedy
Wytopitlock
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We need a fresh start
Sen. McCain is supportive of George Bush, and by supporting McCain the crisis that we face as Americans in a declining economy with tax breaks for the wealthy will only continue. It’ s my opinion from what I’ ve heard in campaign speeches that McCain will continue to support the war in Iraq, which is just a bloodbath for oil, lining the pockets of the Haliburton corporation.
Obama is diplomatic, charismatic and sincere in his desire to change our nation. We need a fresh start. Vote for Obama, and surely our plight will have a dramatic turnaround that is so necessary.
Elizabeth Harding
Jackson
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Vote Obama
Sen. McCain will keep this country going the same way as President Bush. He has said that Bush has the right stuff, just bad timing. McCain is a military man and yet he votes against veterans programs.
On the other hand Obama wants change. We have a choice of going down the same road or voting for change. Things are not going to be easy but if we are willing to work together we can put our country back on track.
When we vote for someone we do not always get what they promise, so you will have to read between the lines and decide whether we continue as is or take a chance and try a different way.
After eight years I am worse off than before. Look at all the stores that are closing, look at the banks in trouble, airlines, hospitals, factories. If you want more of the same go ahead and vote for McCain, but if you really want a change and hope for your children and grandchildren, vote for Obama.
Daniel Fairbrother
Bucksport
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Expand recycling
We in Maine are to be commended for a very effective beverage container redemption-recycling program. However, this program has a downside in view of recycling of plastics in general.
In Orono (typical, I’ m sure, of most of the state) the only plastics that are accepted for recycling are all No. 2 HDPE containers. All other plastic bottles are not accepted.
I know from experience that in much of central Minnesota and Naperville, Ill., that all bottles are accepted. Because of a long tradition of recycling, several other plastic items are recycled in Naperville. Since the recycling market is ultimately determined by the two large national waste handlers (especially Waste Management), more plastics can be recycled than are currently accepted in Maine.
Let’ s not allow an excellent redemption program distort and suppress the rest of the plastics recycling market. Incidentally, I favor just compensation for the redemption centers and remittance of unredeemed deposits to the state.
Bob Buntrock
Orono
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Credit where due
Generally I’ m the kind of person that just goes with the flow and never gets too excited about anything. However, when I was reading the sports section in the July 19-20 BDN, I was quite surprised to see my Labrador retriever, Storm, prominently displayed in Bill Graves’ article on photography.
The picture was taken several years ago by my longtime hunting companion Charlie Beck, but the caption clearly states “Photo by Bill Graves.” The photo did appear on the Maine state government Web site for several weeks after the picture was taken and I’ ve seen a couple of framed copies of it in Aroostook County.
I just want to clarify that Bill Graves was nowhere near us the morning the picture was taken so I’ m not sure what type of camera he was using, maybe something tied into a spy satellite somewhere. I’ m not trying to mean about anything, I just feel professionals should give proper credit when due.
Dale Graham
Orrington
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McCain’ s other war
I read that Sen. McCain says “when you win wars, troops come home.” What I would like to know is how Sen. McCain feels about the war in which he was involved. Did the U.S. do well to withdraw from Vietnam, or should we have stayed longer?
William Transue
Machiasport
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Food picked by others
On Monday, July 21, the Beehive Collective in Machias presented the photographs of Earl Dotter, both beautiful and disturbing shots of Maine’ s migrant farm workers. It was an evening of potluck dining followed by a panel discussion over the poor conditions endured by the farm workers, mostly immigrants from south of the border.
All who attended the opening enjoyed full plates of a large variety of foods grown locally and from afar, none of which I helped to harvest. My plate is filled most every day with crops picked by another. It was a humbling and eye-opening evening. Healthy working conditions are badly needed in Maine.
Immigration reform is also badly needed, unless we would rather starve.
Les Simon
Jonesboro