Trees, not cellphones
EDITOR:
I appreciate your informative front-page article “Watch Those Crosswalks” in today’s issue. However, I want to add something that is missing. It distresses me to see so many people — particularly young persons — walking in crosswalks while texting or otherwise using their cell phones, thus paying no attention to their safety or the safety of those driving cars. I hope that the police consider their responsibilities for mishaps and at least speak to them of the dangers of walking with your eyes down on your gadget, thus putting yourself at risk. It should be illegal, in my opinion, to have your eyes on your addiction, that cell phone, while putting drivers at risk, as well as other crosswalk users. It is too easy to blame others for the damage that we bring to ourselves.
I also want to appreciate Sonoma West for publishing Larry Robinson’s excellent letter in support of trees, which he knows a lot about, given that his father was a forester. I moved to what we used to refer to as the Redwood Empire, because I wanted to be around those beautiful redwoods, as well as diverse oaks and other trees. As Larry indicates, trees are not the problem.
When I established my organic farm in Sebastopol over a quarter of a century ago, I planted many redwoods. They bring moisture down from the sky and provide habitat for various insects, which then eat those few insects which damage my crops. Please don’t let the current White House and Department of Interior destroy our forests to benefit a few. I appreciate that there are far more trees here than people. Those trees bring beauty and absorb “the most carbon dioxide,” as Larry writes. The problem is the “timber companies,” as Larry points out. We should address climate change issues, rather than blame trees for the fires.
Shepherd Bliss
Sebastopol
