It’s time to make the switch from petroleum-based plastics to 100% plant-based containers. The reasons for the delay aren’t valid anymore.

Big-brand stores like ABC argue that City Council Bill 40 would threaten its business and prevent higher wages for workers. As a company that brings in $230 million per year, it has the resources to make the transition.

As far as I can see, smaller companies that have made the switch are making them look selfish and greedy. If the cost of a simple change to plastic- free packaging outweighs our polluted beaches and plagued marine life, I might think we are all going insane.

Every distributor on the island offers alternatives in every shape and size. I know the price is higher, but the public admires and buys from environmentally friendly businesses, which can subsidize or even cover the change in costs.

Plus, isn’t preserving the place you live in a better option in the long run than making as much money as possible for right now?

Kela Totherow

Hawaii Kai

Don’t blame House for failing to pass legislation

In response to J. Mark Webster’s letter (“U.S. House wasting time, ignoring major issues,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 29), the House has passed almost 400 bills, of which about 80% have stalled in the Senate and have not even been voted on.

If anyone is to be blamed for not getting anything done, it is the Senate.

Among the stalled bills are the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, which passed the House more than 250 days ago; the Climate Action Now Act, which passed more than 200 days ago; the Paycheck Fairness Act, which passed more than 240 days ago; and the Strengthening Healthcare and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act.

Put the blame where it belongs. Blame the Senate.

Terrence Ching

Wilhelmina Rise

Putin wins when aid to Ukraine is delayed

There is clear evidence that President Donald Trump withheld military aid to a U.S. ally, Ukraine, which is under attack by Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin, whoM Trump appears to idolize and treat as a mentor, benefits, as the weapons Ukraine needed to protect itself were being withheld.

Trump denied or delayed military aid authorized by Congress. It sure feels and looks like treason to me. Giving aid and comfort to Russia is the frosting on another quid-pro-quo cake, which appears to have Putin helping Trump win the presidency in exchange for delaying military aid to Ukraine.

Smoky Guerrero

Mililani

Dangerous criminals shouldn’t walk streets

Once again Lee Cataluna hits the nail on the head (“Who is going to clean up criminal activity on Oahu?,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 29). The government’s primary function is to keep us safe in our communities, and to that end government is failing miserably.

Any time a previously convicted criminal commits another crime, government has failed, because it created a public hazard by releasing a known criminal who shouldn’t have been released. When Hawaii’s Most Wanted tells us the police are looking for an individual with 40 prior convictions, that’s 39 failures by our government to keep us safe, 39 failures by our government to get it right.

It would be great if we could figure out a way to protect the public without incarceration, but until we do, we need to keep these criminals off the street to ensure public safety.

Bill Leary

Kaneohe

It’s not government that is hurting coal industry

Rich Nolan’s commentary was totally disconnected from reality (“Coal, reliable and affordable, has staying power,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 25).

He is trying to blame government regulation for the weakness of the coal industry, when nothing could be further from the truth.

First, the change from coal was caused by market forces. Natural gas is so much cheaper than coal that it makes no economic sense to build new coal plants. It is also cheaper to run a natural gas plant than a coal plant.

Second, the loss of much of the coal mining jobs is due to automation. Most of the mining is now surface mining, which requires far fewer workers.

Nolan writes of a “gamed marketplace, riddled with subsidies.” Yet he ignores the huge subsidies for the industry that are hidden in the cleanup costs borne by the taxpayers.

West Virginia is riddled with toxic streams left over from surface mining operations.

Monday’s Pro and Con feature would do well to display some journalism, by adding a fact check to both sides.

Vince Giambalvo

St. Louis Heights

First responders do fine work with homeless

I for one admire and respect emergency medical services and Honolulu Police Department personnel who deal with the homeless day in and day out.

It’s challenging, to say the least, to attend to so many homeless, especially those with mental challenges. Facing homeless people running in the street waving and hitting cars; sitting on the curb, partially in the street, affecting traffic; those who get sick and pass out on the streets; the list goes on.

Our EMS personnel do a great job with patience and genuine concern for these people, and that cannot be easy especially when dealing with the same people at times.

I know HPD gets frustrated dealing with these individuals as well; they are normally first to respond and must apply the same patience and self-control until EMS arrives.

Well done to our EMS and HPD personnel. I admit I couldn’t do it.

Clifton T. Johnson

Ala Moana

Tell us what you’re thankful for

Maybe it only seems that things have gotten more divisive. Maybe we’ve become too focused on the negatives instead of the positives. Here’s your chance to reflect on things to be thankful for, and to share with fellow readers. Today through Nov. 24, we’ll be accepting “Be thankful” letters (150 words max) or essays (500-600 words). A collection of these will run on Dec. 1, Thanksgiving weekend. Email to letters@staradvertiser.com or send to 500 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite 7-210, Honolulu, 96813, c/o Letters.

EXPRESS YOURSELF

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