There is a strong case for supporting Ukraine

I am a pacifist. I want to believe that humans have evolved beyond slaughtering our own kind. I want us to spend our wealth on education, ending poverty and saving the planet. I am tired and frustrated by the wasted billions and continuing death and destruction in Ukraine. Still, I say we must continue to support Ukraine against the illegal attack on their sovereignty by Vladimir Putin.

We all want peace. Peace is only possible if there are laws and standards of conduct that are followed. The sovereignty of nations is an important pillar of world peace, as is freedom from slavery, torture and ethnic cleansing, women’s rights, health, safety and individual liberty.

The collapse of the Soviet Union left Ukraine as an independent country and the world’s third-largest nuclear power. In 1994 Ukraine voluntarily agreed to surrender or destroy its nuclear arsenal in exchange for monetary assistance and a guarantee of its future security by the U.K. and the United States. We have a legal obligation to Ukraine. When Putin was allowed to invade and annex Crimea, with only ineffective sanctions as a response from the West, he felt entitled to go for more.

We must show lasting resolve to repel him now, not just for Ukraine, but know that China is also watching our response.

China has been building a military for decades with the stated objective of taking Taiwan. If Ukraine or even portions of it are allowed to fall to Russia, an invasion of Taiwan is likely to follow. War with Russia is trivial compared to taking on China and with an apparent alliance forming between Russia, Iran and China, the West must stand in solid unity against this aggression.

— James O’neill, Lafayette them. When a large amount of algae grows, it is called an algae bloom.

Pollution contributes to ocean warming. Rising water temperature hurts the fish; almost every sea animal that has died, (such as red crabs and filter feeder larvaceans), has microplastic in it. Microplastics are ubiquitous; from mountain tops to oceans. Many animals, both land and sea choke or get stuck in plastic; coral gets tangled in plastic bags and dies making it turn white and dull.

Overfishing endangers all 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays; 24 are now threatened with extinction. Climate change pressures these species, but overfishing is a larger threat.

We should minimize littering and overfishing as much as possible. Such as catching and eating less fish every day, plus recycling, composting and reusing items, especially plastic ones.

I understand that the cost of programs that would improve the quality of water, including ocean water, would be expensive and people need money.

But when you think about it, the possibility of many people relying on fish, the littering and overfishing might make the species extinct. The ocean is dying; as an animal lover, I believe we should try to help as much as possible.

— Mira Borgeson, fifth grade,

Boulder