A Resilient World
I really appreciated the excellent article “Sacred Ground” (Feb. 10). In this time of self-centered politics, the leadership that Greg Sarris and the Graton Rancheria folks are exhibiting is truly amazing. By stepping into the controversial casino world, earning the big money and then redirecting it to help with social services and environmental protections, they demonstrate one pathway toward a more resilient world.
Sebastopol
No GMO
I applaud Shepherd Bliss’ article (Open Mic, Feb. 10) about the health dangers of Monsanto’s Roundup and the California EPA for labeling glyphosate, a Roundup ingredient, as carcinogenic. Let’s now ban GMO crop cultivation in Sonoma County, as 38 countries and five counties in California (Marin, Santa Cruz, Mendocino, Trinity, Humboldt) and two in Oregon have already done. This alone will reduce the amount of glyphosate being sprayed in our county, and it will also protect non-GMO farms, pastures and cover crops from cross-contamination. It will reduce the amount of health problems linked to GMOs by animal studies, according to the American Academy of Environmental Medicine.
Sign the petition to get the Sonoma County Transgenic Contamination Prevention Ordinance on the November 2016 ballot, which would prohibit the propagation, cultivation, raising and growing of genetically engineered organisms. Read the initiative and volunteer, donate or endorse at gmofreesonomacounty.com.
We can improve our farms’ and families’ health.
Santa Rosa
Forest for the Trees
Like to say thank you to Terry Dirks and L. Lewis who agreed with me regarding the trees in downtown Santa Rosa (Rhapsodies & Rants, Feb. 10). It is still hard for me to believe they are going to cut down these beautiful long-living trees. I feel they are the anchor of our downtown. City leaders seem to look at a quick fix instead of looking at different options. Yes, I know the plan to revitalize downtown Santa Rosa has been on the table for years, but I cannot help think this was another quick fix to get it off the table.
It reminds me of when, years ago, we almost lost the building that now houses Barnes & Noble because city leaders felt it could not be saved because of an asbestos problem. I even spoke to the owner, and he agreed with the city leaders. The plan was to tear it down and put in another parking lot. But at the very last minute a builder from San Francisco disagreed with them. He bought the building and made it what it is today.
I cannot see myself visiting the downtown area because of the noise and pollution that this will bring to our city. I have stopped honoring the merchants whom I used to shop at for years. Sad, very, very sad that city leaders and merchants put their wealth ahead of our city’s history. These tress have been there as long as I can remember.
Santa Rosa
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