WRITERS

There was way less construction debris than other years. However, to the person who balls up the aluminum foil wrapper from her/his meal and throws it out between Highway 20 and Lower Beaver Creek Road — Methow eyes are watching out for you and someone will report your license plate number someday. The most abundant litter? Vehicle parts (accidents?) and orange plastic lane markers.

Litter pick-up day was a feel-good experience this year. We care about the Methow Valley and it shows.

Jan Sodt

Winthrop

Short of the goal

Dear Editor:

Earth Day wasn’t a bad idea. So far, we can be sure that to save the environment for future generations to steward it will take more education and more involvement than watching TV and feeling good about planting some seedlings.

By Len Baublitz

To allow more management agencies, such as the U.S. Forest Service, to continue to damage our public land with “restoration” projects by “harvesting” old-growth forests with commercial logging and beef production only moves the ecosystems closer to the elimination of a sustainable environment. Agencies, such as the Department of Interior and EPA , require public surveillance and support to assure their roles in assuring a healthy environment.

“Perhaps our descendants will live to see the day when it is too late to do anything about our environmental pollution (Cottam, 1965).” Dr. Clarence Cottam served the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 25 years as Chief of Wildlife Research. He became a mentor and model for me in 1965. On the first Earth Day I followed his guidance to present the day’s theme lecture, “No More Business as Usual;” unfortunately, we have not achieved that goal.

Don Johnson Libby Creek Watershed Association