Dixie Elder: Water: The math on consumption isn’t so simple
Thanks to Laura Bruess for letting us know how much water it takes to “grow” one hamburger.
But she left some information out. According to Waterfootprint.org, It costs about 2,522 gallons of water to produce a pound of roasted coffee. No more coffee. An apple costs about 18.5 gallons of water. So “an apple a day” will use up 6,752 gallons of water a year per person. It costs about 31.7 gallons of water to grow the grapes for one glass of wine. That’s 11,578 gallons of water a year per person (one glass of wine a day). Quit the wine. It costs about 119 gallons of water to grow one potato. So about 1,119 gallons of water in one bowl of mashed potatoes for a family’s vegetarian dinner. One gallon of water to grow one almond. How many almonds are in one gallon of almond milk? Approximately 525, according to the almond growers association. So 525 gallons of water to make one gallon of almond milk. It’s clear. Virtually nothing that people eat or drink is water friendly.
Dixie Elder, Longmont
Barbara Appel: Boulder police: Officers don’t get appreciation, credit they deserve
I want to say a very heartfelt thank you to the Boulder police department and to Chief Maris Herold for her leadership. Chief Herold stands for responsible policing and, during her time in Boulder, she has provided extensive training for her officers in de-escalation. Boulder police face very serious challenges on a daily basis. If you have yet to read the Boulder police blotter or go on NextDoor, you may not be aware of the serious uptick in crime that Boulder faces (since, crazily, most of the crime is no longer reported in the newspaper).
If you are unsure of whether or not you should stop to thank a police officer, I recommend taking a ride-along to see and experience these daily challenges that they endure to ensure your safety. While policing can be a complex issue for some people, I think we all can agree that if our families were in a threatening situation, it is comforting to know that we can call 911 and know that we have men and women who are willing to risk their lives running into danger so we can run away from it. I truly believe these individuals do not get the appreciation or credit they deserve. So, thank you BPD!
Barbara Appel, Boulder
Julie Devine: Democracy: Holding law-breakers accountable isn’t fascism
A recent letter to the editor, “Only one party is actually trying to destroy democracy,” claimed Democrats are the “real fascists,” trying to destroy our democracy by ending the Electoral College and the filibuster, packing the Supreme Court, suppressing dissent on social media, and conducting one-sided trials.
“In Fascism: A Warning,” Madeleine Albright identifies the most salient feature of fascism as the willingness to use any means, including violence, to pursue power. It wasn’t Democrats who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2012, maiming police officers and threatening Congresspersons.
Abolishing the Electoral College requires amending the Constitution, which is not unconstitutional. In the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton advocates the Electoral College as a means of choosing electors wiser than the voters, who are susceptible to demagoguery. It fails at that, but it undemocratically enables the presidency to be won by a minority of voters.
The filibuster is not part of the Constitution, and it undemocratically enables minority rule.
The Constitution does not specify the number of Supreme Court Justices, which has varied from five to ten. I think packing the Court is a bad idea because it invites more of the same when power shifts to the other party. But the sentiment is due to the hypocritical denial of a hearing for Merrick Garland and the appointment of political hacks by Donald Trump.
What the letter calls suppressing dissent on social media is an effort to fight against deliberate lying, which private media have no obligation to tolerate.
The investigation by the January 6 Committee is not a trial, the Committee’s co-chair is a Republican, and the witnesses have almost all been Republicans. If the Committee’s findings lead to trials, the defendants will have their day in court.
What the letter complains about is not fascism or anti-democracy, but legitimate efforts to compete for power and hold lawbreakers accountable.
Julie Devine, Niwot
Nicky Marone: CU South: Let’s support each other to save our quality of life
My dear neighbors and friends, I humbly, yet fervently, request you to think of your neighbors and friends on the south side of town when you are considering how to vote on the repeal of the CU South annexation. I wish that, since this annexation only affects us south-siders, we should be the only ones allowed to vote on this issue. But of course, that is not how things work. But it should, especially given that, in this case, those living in Central and North Boulder are unlikely to be as impacted, indeed if at all. Plus, I think some people are crossing their fingers that if CU’s appetite for unending growth is appeased on the south side of town they will somehow be safe from CU’s clutches on their side of town, especially since there are some parcels on the north side that are already being eyed for future growth by CU.
The real issue is the unbridled, dare I call it rapacious, appetite for growth displayed by CU. Does it really need three huge campuses? And what about those who will be living there, not just those downstream? Until they cap enrollment, a perfectly reasonable request from our so-called “good neighbor,” everyone is vulnerable. So, let’s make a deal. If you side with those of us on the south side who are terrified of CU, and vote yes to repeal this annexation, I (personally anyway) will support you when it’s your turn to have quality of life, natural riparian wetland, animal habitat, property values, safety, tranquility and freedom from all forms of traffic congestion, permanently and irrevocably obliterated by our good neighbor.
Nicky Marone, Boulder
