“Landman” sheds light on clean energy challenges
Re: “Doldrums hang over energy markets,” Dec. 31 news story
There is a great scene in the drama series “Landman” where Billy Bob Thornton’s character schools a young woman on the vast amounts of oil and natural gas it takes to produce wind turbines, the resources to make solar panels, and the presence of oil products in just about everything else we use in everyday life.
There was also an article in The Denver Post recently about the extended period of darkness and lack of wind that is common in Europe, which effectively negates solar panels and wind turbines for electricity production, driving prices up dramatically and even causing blackouts in some areas.
Combine that with European cold winters (I know them well from service in Germany), and the resulting cold-related misery and deaths of people become very problematic. Several countries are building new coal-fired power plants and nuclear electricity generation facilities.
I’m not saying we shouldn’t explore alternative energy sources. I just want the climate-change, sky-is-falling nutjobs to throttle back, become a little more logical (less knee-jerk emotional) and possibly realize that the United States has much more coal than the Middle East has oil. Coal-fired energy can be very “clean” and inexpensive in America.
Richard D VanOrsdale, Broomfield
Reduction in recycling pickup doesn’t make sense
The change this week to biweekly recycling pickup in Denver is ill-advised. In our experience, and the experience of many of our neighbors, we have far more recyclable material than trash. Our bin is always filled to the top. Even weekly pickup is barely sufficient. Overflow will likely find its way into the trash and into landfills, which is exactly the opposite of the intention of the modified schedule. We need weekly pickups.
Marvin Weinbaum, Denver
TABOR is holding us back
I’ve seen a number of commentaries lately from people who’ve moved to Europe or other countries and found what they have been missing in the United States: a social safety net of guaranteed lifetime health care, education, childcare, vacation and more. They said America is not exceptional. I was fed a lie.
No one wants to pay taxes, and with our law called TABOR (Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights) we get to vote down all the initiatives that could make our lives easier and stress-free.
In other states, the legislature has the power to levy taxes and create services for us that we can’t afford individually. But not in Colorado! We like our teeny TABOR rebates, forgetting how great it would be if we, too, all pitched in and had guaranteed lifetime health care and really good schools and housing, funded like the fire department or police. Funding doesn’t take away choice.
Individuality is good, but a society thrives when all thrive. It’s time to get rid of TABOR in our constitution.
Judy Danielson, Denver
A wonderful MLK tribute right in our own back yard
As we approach the Martin Luther King Day celebration (Jan. 20), I implore everyone to take a minute to see the MLK Memorial, “I Have a Dream,” located in City Park in Denver. It is likely the best MLK Memorial in the country. Those who have taken the time to see it know that its depiction goes to the very heart of what Dr. King preached and gave his life for.
As important, it was designed and constructed by Ed Dwight, a long-time Denver resident. His work is on display around the world. He is likely the most prolific and arguably the most important African American sculptor of our time. He is truly a local and national treasure and has been a part of the Denver community for over 50 years. Bravo Mr. Dwight!
Alan Grametl, Denver
Restaurant business model must work for employees, too
Re: “Number of restaurants down significantly since 2021,” Jan. 8 news story
It is infuriating when restaurant owners complain about having to pay their staff a living wage. The owners feel that their business should provide them with monetary rewards to allow them to live, but they don’t believe they are under any obligation to provide a living wage to the people who do the work necessary for the owner to have a business. If their concept cannot support the appropriate staffing and pay, then maybe they should consider just having a food truck where they can do all of the work.
Indeed, we have become used to cheap goods and services provided by entities that take advantage of workers. We have Walmart-ized our entire economy by sourcing goods from third-world countries. As a result, we have families like the Waltons that have multiple multi-billionaires employing people full-time who are on government assistance.
Mike Patrick, Aurora
Trump ideas sound very Russian
Re: “Trump open to forcibly taking Greenland, canal,” Jan. 8 news story
It looks like President-elect Donald Trump is going to model himself after Russian President Vladimir Putin, who used the military to take over Crimea and possibly Ukraine. He’s thinking of taking the Panama Canal and Greenland by force? Is this really how we want our country to operate? International fear of the U.S. instead of building friendships? Good grief!
Kathy Derrick, Denver
The USSR and its successor, the Russian Federation, spent decades conniving and scheming to break apart NATO. They mostly failed. NATO has its internal squabbles, but it has held together.
But Donald Trump and his ally (for now) Elon Musk seemingly could accomplish what even the most brilliant Soviet/Russian strategist failed to accomplish.
Trump is alienating Denmark by wanting Greenland, through cash, persuasion, or military force.
Trump is alienating Canada by condescendingly calling its prime minister “governor” and by insisting it become the 51st state. That dispute was settled over 200 years ago.
Musk, having invested $250 million in Trump’s election as president, now has his sights set on interfering in England, France, and Germany, causing all of them to tell Musk, “Yankee, go home!”
In addition, Trump wants to dump millions of deportees, regardless of where they are from, into Mexico, exacerbating that country’s poverty, and wants to rename the Gulf of Mexico — a name in use for 400 years.
This makes me wonder: Do Trump and Musk pay their employees in rubles?
Peter Gross, Englewood
Climate concerns? Let’s talk about that
With a new year and a new Congress, I have resolved to have as many climate conversations as I can. As a young girl in Denver Public Schools, I frequently did projects, wrote essays, and addressed my class and my family about climate change, and got the reaction precocious girls get when they are energized about a topic others would rather ignore.
As a woman who has grown into her personal power, I’m speaking out more than ever and getting more positive responses every year. This Thanksgiving my aunt told me she was proud of my climate activism, the first of my family members to do so.
The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication reports that “Americans who hear others talk about global warming at least once a month have higher levels of perceived collective political efficacy (54%) than those who hear others talk about global warming less often (39%).”
We often underestimate how much others share our concerns, but silence makes climate change seem less urgent than it is, which in turn keeps us from adopting solutions at the pace that is needed. Two-thirds of Americans say they are worried about and support climate action, and most people globally are concerned. This year, turn your concern into conversation; the people in your life are ready to talk climate with you.
KC Petersen, Fort Collins
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