Reader dismisses claim that climate change factored in Maui wildfires - News-Leader

Reader dismisses claim that climate change factored in Maui wildfires

Readers share praise for book sale work, disagree on climate change tie to Maui wildfires

Big thanks to Friends of the Library and book lovers

The Friends of the Library have been at it again, working very hard to raise money to support the Springfield-Greene County Library District. This time, their total for the Fall Book Sale is $190,326.05, the second-best sale in their history. That makes more than $5.1 million they have raised for the Library District since their first sale in 1985 in the parking lot of the Midtown Carnegie Library.

There were more than 350 people who volunteered at the Fall Sale and shoppers who came from all over. We owe a big thank you to all of the Friends and shoppers. We also appreciate the people who donated items to the sale. This is such a great event that benefits shoppers and library patrons.

Thank you so much to the Friends of the Library, who work so diligently to support our library services.

Regina Greer Cooper, executive director, Springfield-Greene County Library District

Real or artificial, downtown tree needs to be for all

I have concerns as a resident of Springfield about Council Bill 2023-160 as presented. I applaud the Hatch Foundation for the monetary donation for a reusable “Christmas tree” to the city. However, describing it as such divides our community rather than being inclusive to everyone. While those residents that identify as Protestant comprise 44.5%, those with “no religion” comprise 47.8% of the population, not to mention those who are Catholics, Mormons, Jewish, Muslim, and others of different religious faiths.

If the intent is to draw more people to the winter solstice celebrations, using a more inclusive language of a “holiday tree” instead of a “Christmas tree” would be more appropriate and successful.

Phil Monroe, Springfield

Following rules at rail crossings saves lives

Last year Missouri ranked 23rd in the U.S. for the number of injuries and collisions at highway-rail crossings. Across America, a person or vehicle is struck by a train every three hours. These are powerful statistics to reflect on as we mark Rail Safety Week, a national event to raise awareness about safety near railroad tracks.

Education makes a difference here, led by groups like Operation Lifesaver (and its Missouri chapter). Their efforts have led to an 83% reduction in crossing collisions over the last several decades.

The best way to stay safe is by strictly obeying crossing warnings and gates. But the safest crossing is one that does not exist, and the Rail Crossing Elimination grant program seeks to both close and enhance crossings across the country. It just funded 63 projects across 32 states in its initial year, the goal being to improve safety as well as the mobility of people and goods.

Railroads are vital to Missouri way of life, moving people and goods efficiently while cutting down on congestion and air pollution. Together, through both education and action, we can prevent avoidable tragedies on Missouri rails.

Brett Sebastian, Missouri state director, GoRail

Maui wildfires can't be blamed on climate change

News flash folks ... human beings cannot control the weather. What just happened in Maui is a perfect example. Reducing carbon emissions did nothing to prevent the incompetence and gross mismanagement of the local officials that day. Kaleo Manuel, the local water official in charge, refused to release water to the fire department for over five hours while the Lanai fire raged out of control killing hundreds of people. He was more concerned about making sure there was an "equitable distribution of water" between those needing it for crop irrigation and the fire department.

At some point you have to set aside your liberal ideology and let common sense kick in. Mr. Manuel must have been absent on the day God handed out common sense. He has since been "reassigned." Mild punishment for such overwhelming stupidity. Poor management by Hawaiian Electric and failure to cut and maintain highly flammable non-native Hawaiian grasses also contributed to the problem. Add high winds to the equation and you have a recipe for disaster.

Of course, the governor was quick to blame it all on climate change. The embarrassing, heartless response from Biden, when he finally showed up in Maui, just added insult to injury. The last thing those people needed was to hear about his kitchen fire that almost destroyed his Corvette and killed his cat. His little kitchen fire that happened years ago, and was quickly extinguished, was not exactly analogous to the horrible wildfires that just decimated Lanai.

The administration continues to push electric vehicles, as if that is going to magically make the weather better and more predictable in the future. The carbon dioxide produced by internal combustion engines, powering most of our vehicles, does not negatively impact the weather. The biggest polluters in the world, China and India, are doing nothing to cut back their carbon emissions. China continues to open new coal-fired plants every month. But our illustrious energy czar, John Kerry, flies around in his jet, spewing pollution, thinking he can convince the big polluters to cut back on their carbon emissions. It is laughable and they are laughing at us. The public has been sold a bill of goods on carbon dioxide. It actually makes the planet greener. Without it, life as we know it would cease to exist.

The weather changes every day. It always has and always will, but the fear-mongering continues. In the '60s they said oil would be gone in 10 years; in the '70s they said there would be another ice age in 10 years; in the '80s they said acid rain would destroy all the crops in 10 years; in the '90s they said the ozone layer would be destroyed in 10 years; in the 2000s they said the glaciers would all melt in 10 years; in the 2010s they said the east and west coasts would be underwater in 10 years. Guess what. Not one of those predictions has come true.

Andy Fischer, Springfield