Ohana zoning could help provide homes

Thank you for running the article about restoring ohana zoning and allowing spare spaces in homes to be converted to legal rental units ("‘Den’ additions dwarf ohana units," Star-Advertiser, Nov. 30).

Ohana zoning is an incredibly cost-effective means of providing affordable housing in the urban core while raising city revenues. 

Not legalizing such zoning is like prohibition and outlawing prostitution — everyone knows it goes on, but it’s unregulated and untaxed.

I successfully applied for ohana zoning in 1982. I took out a business license, have paid well over $20,000 in city taxes from the revenue and have supported hardware stores and handymen who repair the units. This boosts the economy and provides intensely needed shelter.

As a side note, my units are pet-friendly. This brings joy to pets and owners, and when damage occurs, the tenants replace the item and I get a free home upgrade.

Howard Wiig
Manoa

Require bicyclists to carry insurance

I think the bicyclists in this town should have a little more responsibility for the use of our roads and sidewalks instead of freewheeling around this city.

They should carry liability insurance of at least the Hawaii minimum of $35,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident and $10,000 for property damage.

I think 99.99 percent of motorists would love it. Bicyclists do cause accidents and incur a liability.

One hundred percent of sidewalk pedestrians would love it. Bicyclists are not permitted on the sidewalk, but they ride there anyway.

Bicyclists come zooming down the sidewalks and could strike a pedestrian who does not see or hear the bike approaching from behind. The unknowing pedestrian could make a move to the right or left and get creamed and seriously injured. Meanwhile, the bicyclist pedals away in most situations scot-free.

Homeowner and rental policies do cover these situations. However, I would venture to say that 90 percent of these freewheelers don’t have these policies.

In addition, right or wrong, the motorist’s no-fault insurance pays for the bicyclist’s injuries minimally up to $10,000.

Sandy Gomes
Downtown Honolulu

Wheelchair results were not reported

I am disappointed with your coverage of the local running events.

For the five races of the 2014 Bio Astin Marathon Readiness Series, you listed all age-group top finishers, but no wheelchair racing division results.

Sadly, now for the Honolulu Marathon, it was the same: a listing all age-group top finishers and failing to include the wheelchair division.

A few years ago our papers would provide good coverage. What happened?

We are trying to grow our division, and having no coverage in our only local newspaper is not helping.

Christine Greer
Kalama Valley

PV owners leery about NextEra

The chief executive officer of NextEra, Jim Robo, has been quoted, "I’m not a giant fan of these incentives that distort the market" ("Bigger is better for utility customers," NextEra CEO says," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 5).

Many of us here in Hawaii who have purchased photovoltaic solar systems for our homes and businesses made the decision in large part due to the tax incentives.

Reports have warned us that in Florida, NextEra has created a climate where individuals or businesses looking to offset their energy costs will find it difficult or impossible to install PV on their own. Instead, NextEra’s position is that it can reduce your electric bill by installing large-scale PV projects on its own.

What I like about my PV system is that it not only has reduced what I pay in electricity, it has virtually eliminated my electric bill.

When NextEra installs its first large-scale project here on our aina, I wonder if it will say, "We don’t believe in tax credits, as they distort the market, so let the state keep our tax credit."

Mark Ida
Salt Lake

Plant-based diet best for the planet

The fate of our planet seems to be at the mercy of governments ("Hawaii’s ecological future depends on global climate change agreement," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Dec. 14), but there are ways that an individual’s dietary choices can make a big difference. By embracing a plant-based diet and avoiding meat and dairy, one’s carbon footprint can be much lighter.

Animal agriculture is responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, more than all transportation combined.This fact, provided by the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization, documents the surprising impact of livestock agriculture on air and water quality.

Livestock and their byproductsaccount for at least 32,000 million tons of carbon dioxide per year, or 51 percent of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, according the Worldwatch Institute.

Cathy Goeggel
President, Animal Rights Hawai‘i

Stop lava by cooling it into solid rock

Seriously, why can’t we stop, contain or divert slow-moving lava by cooling it into solid rock?

There must be situations where the flow could be managed at strategic locations to accomplish specific goals.

For example, consider portable, prefabricated grids of steel pipe hooked up to a water source to cool (lots of superheated steam) the lava into a solid rock dam.

One strategy could allow lava to flow 10-30 feet beyond the grid before the grid is cooled to create the primary dam. When cooled, the 10-30 feet of lava below the primary dam would reinforce it.

Yes, very complicated and tricky. But only by trying will we learn through experience what will work.

Bob Martin and Bruce Martin
Paia, Maui