LETTERS

DRISCOLLS AND THE LAW

I’m reaching out regarding the recent story, “Activist Dolores Huerta Speaks Out Against Pesticide Use.” The article doesn’t fully explain the regulatory oversight that governs pesticide use—especially near schools—which is subject to strict enforcement by several agencies.

This link below provides important context: Driscoll’s Commitment to the Pajaro Valley.In addition, this link outlines Driscoll’s Global Labor Standards, which all independent growers are legally required to follow: Driscoll’s Global Labor Standards.

These standards include giving workers the right to collective bargaining and freedom from discrimination.

Solana Tanabe

THANKS, FIRST RESPONDERS

Just want to give a shout out to a conscious citizen and our first responders for their heroic rescue yesterday of a person overdosing in Oceanview Park. It was ever so fortunate that this Good Samaritan not only had first aid skills but also the bravery and compassion to come to this gravely ill person’s aid.

Thanks to 911, the fire truck and paramedics showed up in good time and the staff did a fantastic job transporting the patient out of the park. Since this person had collapsed behind the restroom and was out of sight,  if the Good Sam hadn’t acted when they did and the fire truck and paramedics hadn’t shown up immediately, the situation could have been much grimmer.

I have so much gratitude to live in a beautiful place like Santa Cruz with excellent emergency services and wonderful people like this Good Sam. My takeaway is to update my first aid skills to be better prepared. You never know when you might be able to save a life.

Gabrielle Wilder | Santa Cruz

DON’T SELL OUR LAND TO BIG OIL

One of the things that makes our state so great is access to nature. So much of that is dependent on the protection of our public lands—national and state parks, monuments and designated wilderness. But right now, Donald Trump is offering a massive public lands giveaway to the fossil fuel industry.

He’s ordered the U.S. to “drill baby drill” on public lands, and he’s fast-tracked new oil and gas projects, bypassing environmental and public review. His allies in Congress are even pushing to open Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge—one of the most pristine and undamaged wildernesses still in existence in the U.S.—to toxic oil drilling.

If they get their way, the fossil fuel industry will wreck our national landmarks for profit and pump millions more tons of planet-warming pollution into the atmosphere in the process. And don’t think this will help lower energy or fuel costs at home. Most of this oil and gas is slated for export to markets in Asia and will be bought and sold as a global commodity.

So if we don’t want to see drilling rigs the next time we head outdoors, we need to send a clear message to our representatives in Congress: Don’t sell off our public lands to Big Oil!

Molly Morabito | Santa Cruz