Make 250th birthday meaning
Very soon now, America will celebrate its 250th birthday. There are plans for a big celebration at the national level as well as local celebrations. While these will all be big patriotic celebrations of our country, I wonder if we might ask, “What do these celebrations mean to our relationships with other folks in our town, community, our neighborhoods?”
Is there a way for us to also make our 250th birthday locally and personally meaningful? Might we look back to the words on the Statue of Liberty to see if there might be something we can do to make America “just a little bit better” for our own town, community, neighborhood, block?
Could we find a way to celebrate 250 that is meaningful for you or your community? Whether as an individual or a member of an organization or faith community. Could we donate 250 cans of tuna, or bags of rice to Food Share or to 805 Undocufund? Donate 250 rolls of toilet paper to a food bank? Could we pay for 250 mental health visits for armed-service veterans? Could we pay off the balance for 250 kids who owe money on their school cafeteria accounts? Could we pay $250 toward a feed bill for a rural kid’s 4-H or FFA project? Could we volunteer 250 hours to a nonprofit organization?
We can certainly take part in the larger celebrations and enjoy them, but can we also bring the celebration down to our local communities, neighborhoods, and streets? America is worth celebrating. It is worth celebrating together. Can we do this?
Janice Okuma, Ventura
Dangerous rollbacks by EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing dangerous rollbacks to coal ash protections that would endanger the health of communities across the country. Coal ash, the toxic waste produced from burning coal, contains arsenic, mercury, lead, and other hazardous pollutants that are linked to cancer and serious illness.
This is a direct threat to public health. Industry data already shows that groundwater at most coal plant sites is contaminated above federal safety standards. Weakening these rules only ensures more pollution, more illness, and more communities left to deal with the consequences.
The EPA’s job is to protect people, not corporate polluters.
John Wagner, Oxnard
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Celebrate 250th birthday together, EPA helping polluters | Letters
Reporting by Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ventura County Star | USA TODAY Network
