LET TERS
a more hazardous tree in the future —
always! Ironically, a lot of trees that
didn’t lose a twig during the Columbus
Day storm in 1962 ended up being topped
after, “just to make sure!” I urge those of
you still shaken by the storm to reconsider
and look at your trees objectively without
jumping to conclusions following the
advice of someone untrained in the fi eld of
arboriculture.
Yes, storms happen and trees break or
fall, but my experience since the storm
has shown that properly maintained trees
did far better than neglected ones. Please
check online the adverse effects of tree
topping; you’ll save trees and money. Who
wants a tree that looks like a toilet brush
anyway?
Alby Thoumsin
Springfi eld
DON’T OPT-IN
Looking at EWEB’s annual phone
surveys of 2011, 2012 and 2013 regarding
wireless smart meters, customers reported
that they are now more familiar with smart
meters — up from 36 to 59 percent. Those
who had a favorable opinion went down —
from 55 to 45 percent.
In just three years, the number of those
with a previously unfavorable opinion
increased even further, from 17 to 41
percent, even without a single pro-and-
con debate offered by EWEB, ignoring
repeated citizen requests.
Interestingly, despite their own
documentation of increasingly negative
KEEP THEM BUZZING
Our bees and butterfl ies need us. Time is
running out for them. One third of our food
is pollinated by honeybees. Neonicotinoid
pesticides are a large part of the problem.
These “neonics” are in 50 percent of the
plants sold at big-box stores. Bayer and
Ortho are two major brand names that
contain these killers. When in doubt, buy
organic plants, potting soil and seeds. Use
alternative methods for pest control. Down
To Earth has excellent staff and products
to ensure a safe pollinator yard and garden.
Ask your landscaper/gardening supply
store, etc., to not use or sell these products.
From 1 to 5 pm Saturday, March 15, at
Cozmic will be an event titled “Save the
Bees!” to help educate and activate people.
Please help our bees keep buzzing and our
butterfl ies keep fl uttering.
Pamela Driscoll
Dexter
opinions about smart meters, at the Oct. 1,
2013, EWEB meeting the commissioners
voted unanimously to continue with the
program, graciously allowing customers
the opportunity to “opt-in” to the smart-
meter rollout. One commissioner stated he
voted that way because he received more
positive calls and emails than negative
ones. I watched him say this while it
was clear that the meeting room was
overfl owing with people against the whole
thing. Not one of his pro people seemed to
be in attendance.
In just three years of ordinary citizens
clamoring in local papers and showing
videos about the numerous inherent
dangers, the unfavorable opinions are
growing like crazy!
Protect yourself and those you
care about. Become familiar with the
terminology and the facts. Judging by their
unwillingness to support public debate,
EWEB is hoping that you don’t. Yet your
privacy, health, safety and cyber-security are
at stake here. Check out these websites with
informative links: TakeBackYourPower.net,
ThePeoplesInitiative.org, StopSmartMeters.
org and SmartGridAwareness.org.
Robin Bloomgarden
Eugene
DESTINATION:
SUMMER
UO SUMMER SESSION JUNE 23–SEPTEMBER 5, 2014
AVOIDING ENVIRO LAWS
Oregon Democrats Sen. Ron Wyden
and Gov. John Kitzhaber are on a mission
to prop up the largest unsustainable tree-
fi ber operations throughout Oregon
regardless of the ecological damage they
incur. Wyden has introduced two separate
bills that could impact more than 10 million
acres of Oregon’s last ancient forests on
federal public lands.
The O&C Land Grant Act (SB 1784)
seeks to double the logging of ancient
forests on 2.1 million acres of O&C lands.
The Oregon Eastside Restoration and Jobs
Act (SB 1301) seeks to increase logging
on 10 million acres in Eastern Oregon’s
National Forests (minus wilderness,
national recreation areas and other
specially protected areas). This bill would
allow trees up to 200 years old be sacrifi ced
to pay for alleged restoration logging.
Kitzhaber has embarked on privatizing
Common School Fund lands to avoid
complying with environmental laws. In
the Elliott State Forest, Kitzhaber, Kate
Brown and Ted Wheeler are attempting to
avoid protecting marbled murrelet nesting
habitat by embarking on privatizing about
2,700 acres. In addition, Kitzhaber has also
publicly announced that he is seeking to
“modernize” environmental laws as they are
applied to all public lands, state or federal.
Joseph Varilone
Eugene
6
March 13, 2014 • eugeneweekly.com
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