‘The price the environment pays’
There was one glaring omission in “With winter looming, salting roads gets costly”(11/24/18 CDT) -- the price the environment pays! According to the U.S. Geological Survey, some 19 million tons of salt (mostly sodium chloride) are spread on U.S. roadways and other impervious surfaces annually, leading to a number of ecological consequences.
Salt leaches heavy metals from roads. Those metals and salt infiltrate soil and water, killing plants and aquatic life. Streams and lakes undergo long-term salination largely due to road salt, disrupting the migration of aquatic organisms such as zooplankton and benefiting invasive species that are adaptable to higher salinity levels.
Salt from car spray and snowplows can cause forest mortality up to 300 feet from the road by injuring foliage or root systems of trees. Sodium chloride also lures animals onto dangerous roads to lick the salt and harms pets’ paws.
Set an example at home. Shovel sidewalks early and often so snow and ice won’t become packed and sun can melt the leftovers. If you do apply salt, use it strategically, only on steps and key pathways. Use deicers touted as eco-friendly such as beet juice, alfalfa meal or calcium magnesium acetate, but use them sparingly as they may also decrease water quality. Cultivate salt-tolerant native plants near impervious surfaces by your home and protect those plants with barriers such as burlap bags.
Please consider any of these approaches as New Year’s resolutions that will benefit plants, pets, waterways and wildlife. - Douglas M. Mason, Port Matilda, PA
‘Whose side will you be on?’
I know that the lamestream media is still heartbroken that Crooked Hillary is still not, and never will be, the President. My one question for the lamestreamers, especially CNN and MSNBC, is: If World War III breaks out, God forbid, whose side will you be on? - Vic Maestri, Old Forge, PA
A plant-based food resolution
With the glow of Christmas barely behind us, we look forward to the new year and the customary New Year’s resolutions: reduce social media, reduce weight, and, this year, reduce animal food consumption. One-third of consumers already report reducing their consumption of animal foods.
Hundreds of school, college, hospital, and corporate cafeterias have embraced Meatless Monday. Even fast-food chains Chipotle, Denny’s, Panera, Subway, Taco Bell, White Castle are rolling out plant-based options. A dozen start-ups, led by Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, are creating healthy, eco-friendly, compassionate, convenient, delicious plant-based meat and dairy products. Meat industry (and corporate pioneers) have invested heavily in plant-based meat development.
According to the Plant Based Foods Association, plant-based food sales have grown by 20% in the past year, ten times the growth rate of all foods. Sales of plant-based cheeses, creamers, butter, yogurts, and ice creams are exploding at a 50% growth rate. Plant-based milks now account for 15% of the milk market.
The plant-based New Year’s resolution requires no sweat or deprivation -- just some fun exploration of your favorite supermarket and food websites. - Craig Dalton, State College, PA
‘Holding the country hostage’
Trump’s actions as regards to shutting down the government if he does not get funding for his wall is tantamount to holding the country hostage -- his ransom demand being funding for the wall.
What happened to “making Mexico pay for the wall?” Nowhere did I see mention of Mexico paying one penny towards the construction of same. Another Trump misleading statement to us. - Donna Hockenberry, Bellefonte, PA