Dear Editor:
Thank you for highlighting the work done by the San Diego County Tobacco Control Coalition at the Earth Day beach cleanup (Coast News, April 30).
As a volunteer with Vista Community Clinic, I had the opportunity to assist with the cleanup and I appreciate you sharing these efforts with the community.
Cigarette butts are the single most littered item on the planet and are hazardous for our community and our environment.
We found lots of different types of tobacco waste on Cardiff State Beach last week, but the majority were cigarette butts.
I urge the State Department of Parks and Recreation to display clear “No Smoking” signs to inform patrons of the recent change in law.
The beaches in San Diego are my favorite places to visit and it is important that we keep them safe and clean for our families and the wildlife.
Sofia Davis is a VCC volunteer and North County resident
***
Dear Editor:
So, I heard on Fox News that President Biden may be banning meat to combat global warming. Then I remembered that Colorado Democrat Gov. Jared Polis had issued a similar proclamation last month.
My first reaction was, what kind of cockamamie idea will the Democrats cook up next. But then I read the article they quoted, and it made a bit more sense.
Apparently, a University of Michigan research report found that replacing 50% of animal products with plant-based foods would prevent more than 1.6 billion tons of greenhouse gasses by 2030, which is Biden’s target date for a 50% reduction in emissions.
Another article I found in The Guardian argues that animal farming is a major driver of climate change, as well as air and water pollution, soil depletion, and destruction of wildlife habitats.
It’s possible that, in an environmentally sustainable world, we may eventually need to replace meat and other animal products with vegetables, fruits, and grains, just as we replace fossil fuels with wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources.
I may look and see what the internet and my local supermarket have to offer in terms of plant-based meat products.
Edward Cole
Encinitas
