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THE TIMES LEADER www.timesleader.com
Editorial
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011 PAGE 11A
OUR OPINION: PRESERVATION
Time is now to care for past
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S ANOTHER YEAR reaches its final stage, we reflect on things old and new – and wonder which has greater value. ❏ A 15-year-old gym shoe doesn’t typically hold much appeal. Fashion a new Nike sneaker after a 1996 hot seller, however, and you apparently can slap a $180 price tag on it, market it as a “limited release” and send people into fits to buy a pair. Pre-Christmas shoppers in pursuit of retro Air Jordans jostled and fought – and, in at least one instance, knifed – one another to carry home the coveted footwear. For that kind of cash, why not scoop up four pairs of Chuck Taylors? Or a decent wingtip? ❏ Cities such as Cleveland – presumably to be joined in 2012 by Wilkes-Barre – are knocking down empty homes to make certain neighborhoods more appealing. If not already plundered, might old appliances and building materials from within those homes be reused? Might they have value to a Habitat for Humanity chapter or a charitable outfit such as Green Demolitions in Honesdale (www.greendemolitions.com)? Likewise, if the city of Wilkes-Barre makes way for something new at the downtown Hotel Sterling site, can’t elements of the old structure be incorporated into the new design? Or, perhaps, can artifacts from the hotel be preserved (or put to new use) else-
HELP MAKE HISTORY Learn more about the Luzerne County Historical Society’s preservation efforts by calling (570) 823-6244. Or visit www.luzernehistory.org.
where in the community? ❏ The nearly 154-year-old Luzerne County Historical Society aims to increase its ability to collect and maintain pieces of our collective past by boosting its membership and raising more money. “In order to accomplish our mission and continue to accept collections of manuscripts, books and museum objects,” states a letter distributed by the society earlier this month, “we need to expand our archive and make the most efficient use of our existing space.” The nonprofit organization intends to double its membership in the next four years, to 2,000, according to the letter. Similarly, it seeks over that multiyear span to raise $1.6 million for its endowment, bringing the fund’s total to $3 million. At first glance, those might look like lofty numbers. Then again, if certain people literally fight for the “opportunity” to part with $180 for a pair of sneakers, almost no amount seems extraordinary to preserve a county’s history in perpetuity. After all, most every item in the historical society’s holdings is a “limited edition.”
QUOTE OF THE DAY “Europe appears to be the only real impediment to keeping this recovery from happening.” Joel Naroff The president of Naroff Economics recently gave his assessment on the likelihood of a U.S. economic upturn in 2012. Financial experts predict modest growth of about 2.4 percent next year.
OTHER OPINION: THE WORKPLACE
Offer employees flexible hours
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S FEDERAL AND state governments pull back on child-care aid and struggle to find affordable ways to help families with problems of elder care, family advocates are looking to the private sector for more help. They’re urging employers to let caregivers have more flexible schedules to ease the burden of looking after young children and frail parents. Doing so can actually pay off for both the worker and the employer, as suggested by researchers writing for the Future of Children’s Work and Family project, a collaboration between Princeton University and the Brookings Institution. Flexible schedules can allow caregivers to work around their family obligations, which cuts down on unexpected absenteeism and the firings that can result. It would lead to higher proEDITORIAL BOARD
ductivity and a healthier workplace environment. When caregivers are fired from work for living up to their responsibilities at home, it’s an expensive move for the employer. Replacing even a minimum-wage worker costs about 20 percent of the worker’s salary, according to Heather Boushey, of the Center for American Progress. Comp time, split shifts and job sharing are tools employers can use to give employees some flexibility. Added to the pressures of caregiving, workers have had to cover for others laid off in this sluggish economy. They have watched their own salaries shrink. It’s only fair that employers, which have been able to survive a rough economy thanks to employees’ extra sweat for less pay, work this out. The Philadelphia Inquirer
PRASHANT SHITUT President and Interim CEO/Impressions Media MARK E. JONES JOSEPH BUTKIEWICZ Vice President/Executive Editor Editorial Page Editor
MALLARD FILLMORE
Curb on mercury emissions a win for public health IT IS one of the most important public health measures in a generation, one that will save tens of thousands of American lives. It will protect the IQ of countless American kids, and help clear the air for the millions of Americans with asthma. It might be the biggest health story you’ve never heard of. I’m referring to the ruling the Obama administration unveiled Dec. 21 to control toxic mercury pollution from coal-burning power plants. These rules have been 21 years in the making, and now, at long last, they will bring Americans some relief from a pervasive toxin. The United States always has shown good sense when taking on hazardous substances in our environment. We banned lead in gasoline and paint after scientific research proved it was harming our children. We joined the world in banning CFC refrigerants after scientists demonstrated they were depleting the Earth’s ozone layer. And we took strong action to reduce sulfur emissions from coal plants, which were poisoning our forests and lakes with acid rain. Now we have taken aim at another Public Enemy: mercury. Why is this such a big deal? For many Americans, it might come as a surprise that mercury contamination is even a problem. Moms will know that doctors warn against eating too much canned tuna, but might not be sure how the mercury gets in the fish. Every year, U.S. power plants release al-
MAIL BAG
FRED KRUPP most 50 tons of mercury into the environment. When coal is burned, some of the mercury in it deposits locally and some can travel hundreds of miles to contaminate rivers, lakes, animals, plants and ultimately our bodies. Mercury is highly toxic. Mercury exposure, especially in infants and children and developing fetuses, can lead to serious neurological problems, including impacts on thinking, memory, language and fine motor skills. Scientists at New York’s Mount Sinai Center for Children’s Health and the Environment have estimated that mercury exposure causes reductions in intelligence for between 316,500 and 637,200 American children each year, and also causes disruptions in behavior. Most of these effects will last a lifetime. Many of the other toxic pollutants controlled by these rules – such as chromium, arsenic and dioxin – are known or probable carcinogens and can attack the brain, lungs, liver and kidneys. Industry lobbyists always have complained about measures to protect the environment and public health. The Clean Air Act would lead to the “collapse of entire industries,” said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1971. Phasing out CFCs would kill the refrigeration
Fred Krupp is president of the Environmental Defense Fund. He wrote this for McClatchy-Tribune News Service.
LETTERS FROM READERS
Writer sees good reasons to allow Sunday hunting
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COMMENTARY
business. Removing lead from gasoline would mean huge price hikes. Despite these wild predictions, the sky never fell, the American economy continued to prosper and costs have been far outweighed by the public health benefits. President Obama and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson were right to stand firm on this rule. The new regulations will impose some costs, but they will save far more in public health benefits. And here’s what the coal lobbyists aren’t telling you: • Canned albacore tuna has become so contaminated by mercury that children under 6 should be restricted to, at most, one meal a month. Children ages 6 to 12 should eat no more than two meals a month. • All 48 of the continental United States had mercury fish consumption advisories as of March 2011. The new mercury and air toxics rule has been in the works since 1990 – long enough for the electric utilities to prepare. Many, to their credit, have done just that, and they support the new rules. But a few outliers didn’t make the necessary investments, betting they could endlessly delay the new rules. They are the ones making the most noise. Sorry, time’s up. Twenty-one years is long enough to wait for such a big, life-saving win.
don’t understand why there is no hunting allowed on Sundays in Pennsylvania. There are several reasons why it should be permitted. Many deaths are caused by animals each year, including about 150 auto-related nationwide. If hunting were allowed on Sundays, we might be able to reduce the number of accidents each year. Pennsylvania was ranked as first in deer-auto collisions in a State Farm Insurance survey. Wild animals can carry diseases, and an overpopulation of animals can make those diseases spread. Small game, such as raccoons, skunks and weasels, can carry rabies. Several members of my family had to get rabies shots because a rabid raccoon bit our dog. Deer can carry deer ticks, which can transmit Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Wild animals cost people money when the areas we inhabit overlap. Bears can damage cars and property, and they might endanger humans when looking for food.
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An estimated $1.1 billion is spent on car repairs each year from deer-versus-auto accidents. Deer eat expensive shrubs, and rabbits eat greens from gardens, costing people hard-earned time and money. If Sunday hunting were allowed, it would add a total of 24 days of hunting over an entire year. I’m still in school and I have time to hunt only on weekends. Our neighbors in New York have the ability to hunt on Sundays. Given all this information, I am not sure why Pennsylvania still does not allow Sunday hunting.
DOONESBURY
Christian Ridall Dorrance Township
Budget amendment would rein in spending
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fforts finally are being made to get absurd government spending under control. Congressmen Lou Barletta and Tom Marino support the idea that our government should be held to a standard and forced to curb its trillion-dollar spending habit. Unfortunately for taxpayers and future generations, there hasn’t been a system in place effective enough to prevent wasteful spending. A Balanced Budget Amendment would change that by forcing our government to spend within its means. In the interest of our nation’s fiscal stability, we need to keep future generations from being saddled with mountains of debt. Thank you, Congressmen Barletta and Marino, for your support of a sorely needed amendment. It’s about time someone stands up against outrageous government spending. Theresa Kane Olyphant