Clearing the air on methane
Re: “Methane changes will cost jobs,” Nov. 17 letter to the editor
D J Janik opines, “All sides (and my nose) agree that methane is bad.” Please note that methane is an odorless and colorless gas.
Whatever D J Janik’s nose is offended by, it is not methane.
Dave Bufalo, Denver
Immigration rate unsustainable
The unprecedented number of asylum seekers gathering at the border portends a new immigration paradigm. While TV images focus on mothers with children, the caravan trekking by foot and thumb over more than 2,000 miles is constituted mostly of men — 90 to 95 percent by some estimates. Should they succeed in entering the U.S. via sanctuary status or other means, will their expectations be met? America, where for centuries low-skill level workers could find jobs comparable to those they left behind, has undergone mind-numbing change. Today across the country, workers young and old displaced by new technologies are already being retrained to perform tasks — some that may not have even existed a decade ago.
As expected, America will continue to be a nation that welcomes immigrants, but the challenge of assimilating massive unvetted groups seeking admission as evidenced by the 10,000 Central Americans approaching or already at our southern border — plus those who will be emboldened to follow — is unsustainable. They arrive at a time when homelessness, particularly in the large cities that serve as traditional magnets to the new arrivals, is already at epic proportions exacerbated by the effects of spiraling mental illness and drug abuse. Perhaps itap time for reflection. Beyond established annual immigration quotas is there now a new larger number or has it simply become infinite?
Doug Hacker, Denver
Cut ties with Saudi Arabia
It is time to cut our diplomatic ties and arms sales to Saudi Arabia. It is now very clear that the Saudi government was directly involved in the murder of a Washington Post journalist. And it is time that we, and President Donald Trump, stop looking the other way of Saudi behavior. We put up with bad Saudi behavior for decades because we needed Saudi oil, but we are now the world’s number one producer of oil thanks to fracking.
Donald Trump shows every sign of coddling the Saudis to protect his business deals with them. Our legislators would be well advised to remember the emoluments clause to the Constitution which states that presidents may not engage with foreign entities for personal profit (our founders rightly feared the conflict of interest we now see manifested in Trump). If Trump cannot sever relations with the Saudis when the issues are so clear, it is time that our representatives in the House sever our relationship with Trump–itap called impeachment.
Michael McNeil, Mead
Recycling needs to be mandated
Re: “Some of Colo.’s ‘green’ reputation gets trashed,” Nov. 16 news story
It should not surprise anyone that Denver is not on the list of top recycling cities.
As Denver has grown, the ability of an apartment-dweller to recycle has remained problematic. Instead of mandating recycling containers for all apartment buildings, the city requires each to set up its own system — or not. So they don’t.
Likewise, in office buildings, itap up to the individual building owners and managers to establish recycling. Why?
Denver needs to acknowledge our modern era of scarce resources, and do its part to divert reusable materials from landfills. Require all buildings to participate in recycling instead of forcing each one to set up its own account with its own pickup company. Fold apartments and offices into the existing single-family-dwelling recycling program. Provide bins, or levy building owners a one-time fee to obtain containers clearly marked for recycling use.
In tandem, launch an information campaign about the benefits of recycling.
Our earth will thank us.
Nancy B. Weil, Denver
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