If you haven’t yet, agree to donate your organs

More than 100 lives were saved this year because of the generosity of Hawaii’s organ donors; individuals who died and gave a gift of hope and new life to others through the generous gift of organ donation.

These 100 people who were saved are our family members and friends, children, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunties and uncles.

This Christmas, the families of these generous donors spent their first holiday season without their loved ones. These amazing families looked beyond their own sadness at the time of the death of their loved ones, and said "yes" to organ donation, so that someone else could live.

It is my hope that these donor families will feel the warmth and support of our larger Hawaii ohana as they journey through grief toward healing and renewed hope.

You can designate yourself as an organ donor — either by saying "yes" when you renew your Hawaii driver’s license, or by registering online at www.donatelifehawaii.com.

Felicia Wells-Williams
Family services director, Legacy of Life Hawaii

UH could take over distressed hospitals

With the closure of the two Hawaii Medical Center facilities, I suggest Gov. Neil Abercrombie, the Legislature and the University of Hawaii’s School of Medicine step in quickly to acquire one or both for the school.

It would seem to be a good investment for the state and the UH to come up with what the Sisters of St. Francis want for the properties, even if it has nothing to do with football coaches.

Bruce Dunford
Ewa Beach

If there is a surplus, use it to pay off bonds

As soon as Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced a budget surplus, a friend told me to watch the unions come out to get their share of the surplus in wage hikes. Is the letter from Dennis Tynan the first shot over the bow ("Budget surplus came from state workers," Star-Advertiser, Letters, Dec. 25)?

I thought the surplus was possible because of the sale of state bonds. If there is a surplus, why not redeem some of those?

Ronald Wong
Salt Lake

EPA did well to tighten mercury standards

Mercury exposure in pregnant and nursing women can result in birth defects like learning disabilities, lower IQ, deafness, blindness and cerebral palsy.

This week, however, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published landmark standards against toxic mercury from power plants.

The new protection, which replaces weak, court-rejected Bush-era standards, will cut mercury pollution from power plants by more than 90 percent. Millions of Americans will breathe cleaner air and eat safer fish.

Coal-fired power plants are the largest source of mercury pollution in the U.S. Hawaii has a coal-fired plant on the Big Island, but plans to use biomass to decrease reliance on coal.

The Hawaii League of Women Voters applauds the president and the EPA for their courageous and principled determination to protect children and families from this dangerous pollutant.

The League also gratefully acknowledges the strong leadership of U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye in sustaining the EPA’s regulatory power.

Beppie Shapiro
President, League of Women Voters of Hawaii

People need to treat Mother Nature better

The problems we face in this world are caused by people who take Mother Nature for granted. I would like these people to change their ways.

Global warming is real, and if we don’t take actions now, there will be consequences later. The increase in the greenhouse gas effect is global, affecting climates and communities worldwide.

What I want to see is that we take this seriously. We must give back to Mother Nature and show that we care. I ask that we go "green" all over the state. It is a big project, but Hawaii can do it. If we can spread the word and encourage people to take steps to go green, we can make the world a better place.

We can install solar panels on every house on the island, use CFL bulbs and recycle. With one small step at a time, we will change the world.

Melissa Ghotane
Honolulu

Thank you, veterans, who served in Iraq

Thank you to all of our men and women who served in the armed services in Iraq.

You did a magnificent job under difficult circumstances. Mahalo and welcome home!

Roy E. Shigemura
Honolulu