LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Megadrought raises big alarm on fossil fuel use

Re “West megadrought worsens to driest in at least 1,200 years” (Feb. 14): Thank you for raising awareness of the ongoing megadrought caused in part by fossil fuel burning. For the western U.S., water scarcity (and its close cousin, wildfire) will likely be the most damaging consequence of the climate emergency, rather than temperature per se. Jeff Severinghaus Professor of Geosciences Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Thank you for your thoughtful coverage of the megadrought. It’s encouraging to see how much we’re learning about the drought. It becomes clearer year over year that climate change amplifies problems of drought and heat here in San Diego and throughout the western U.S.

Two of my co-workers lost homes last year in wildfires exacerbated by the climate crisis. Water conservation can help us make it through the drought, but the only way out of the danger is to hasten the end of fossil fuel extraction. Living here for the long haul will require more than individual consumers making thoughtful choices like low-water landscaping.

Like any “tragedy of the commons,” the climate crisis requires collective action. A price on carbon, like the carbon fee and dividend in the Energy Innovation Act, is long overdue. With enough citizen pressure, this year’s reconciliation package may include such a policy. Stephen Tanner Mira Mesa

Charging station tech is just not ready yet

Re “States get go-ahead to build electric car charging stations” (Feb. 10): So $5 billion is available to states for a network of electric car charging stations across our nation’s highways. Per the article, it will take an hour to recharge a car with a fast charger port. And how long will you wait in line if the chargers are in use?

As someone who drives cross country more often than most, I can’t even imagine how much longer the drive would take in an electric car. Will there be housing available every 50 miles for use when the grid goes down? How do you stay warm or cool during charging or while you wait if you have no power?

If trucks are mandated to be electric, imagine how the charging time will delay the pipeline and raise the cost of goods. Alice Herald El Cajon

Say goodbye to high gas prices, go electric

Re “Ack! A new record high for San Diego gas prices“(Feb. 16): Everybody

complains about high gas prices but nobody .... Wait! There is something you can do about it: Replace your gas guzzler with an electric vehicle (EV). The EV option is never mentioned in articles about the pain of high gas prices, including this one. Maybe it should be.

We drive about 900 miles per month, mostly short trips around town with an occasional road trip. This past month, using super off-peak hours, we spent a total of $34 charging our car. This included a trip to Borrego Springs.

EV prices are lower than ever and falling. Range anxiety isn’t really a thing when you can get 300 miles on a charge. And not having to stop for gas on your way to work is a nice perk — the “tank” is always full when you get up in the morning. Robert Snyder Oceanside

Let’s focus on how to handle homelessness

Re “Homelessness is rising again in San Diego” (Feb. 11): We knew numbers for homeless people were rising before you wrote this editorial. They have been rising all along. They will rise in the future, and none of us can stop that.

The newspaper (and the political establishment) should stop talking as if homelessness can be ended and start talking about what to do. The public-atlarge accepts that homelessness is here to stay. It will tolerate that. The public won’t, however, tolerate the trash that accompanies homelessness, so let’s clean up the trash. That’s within our grasp. We will be doing something helpful.

If we allow the trash to continue at current and past levels, we risk losing what precious little political support we now have for the homelessness initiative. That would be tragic. Jim Varnadore City Heights

Re “Many homeless people are that way by choice” (Feb. 17): I was startled by the letter claiming that the majority of homeless people that the writer sees in Lemon Grove are not mentally ill. After having been a clinical psychologist for 40 years, I still haven’t mastered the art of diagnosing people as mentally ill merely by looking at them. And I believe the homeless do deserve our compassion, whatever the nature of their struggles. Denise Beckfield Pacific Beach

Look north to learn about good policing

Re “Mayor Gloria has long eyed demilitarizing police, not defunding it” (Feb. 18): I hope Mayor Todd Gloria will look to Oceanside for tips on how to improve the San Diego police force. The Oceanside police force is amazing. Oceanside police are friendly and helpful, positively engage with everyone and never seek to escalate anything. I can’t say enough

good things about the Oceanside police. Megan Ahn Oceanside

Don’t blame China for U.S. corporate greed

Re “House passes bill to boost U.S. computer chip production” (Feb. 4): The House approved a multibillion-dollar bill to aid the production of semi-conductors, improve “supply chain resilience” and “critical goods” manufacturing. Huh? Supposedly this has something to do with competing with China.

Over these last 30 years our global corporations have given the Chinese our home appliance, consumer electronics, furniture and yes, our semiconductor business. We gave it all the help we could so it would make cheap goods for us. It “stole” nothing. I’ve enjoyed a career in wood furniture manufacturing, made here always in the U.S., and have watched the demise of dozens of small furniture manufacturing towns around our country lose out to making it in China.

The supply chain was disrupted from COVID-19 and high consumer demand. It will normalize. Treat truckers well and pay

them. You’ll have plenty of drivers. But the greed of our companies that make everything in China will not end. Marty Tucker South Park

Why Sarah Palin’s lawsuit really matters

Re “Jury rejects Sarah Palin’s lawsuit against New York Times” (Feb. 16): I suppose many were not particularly interested or following this story given more urgent national and world news. But we should have.

Why? It’s the beginning framework/testing to take down our democracy by suppressing the press. I realize the editorial addressed in the lawsuit in question had errors. But they were quickly corrected. Did it rise to litigation for libel, which has a very high threshold? No. The judge and then the jury said it did not meet those standards. Public figures cannot and should not have access to libel suits when the article is not favorable to them.

This was an expensive trial for Palin. If not her, then who paid her fees? Democracy and a free press should demand to know. John Blair Vista

The San Diego Union-tribune letters policy

The Union-tribune encourages community dialogue on public matters. Letters are subject to editing, must be 150 words or less and include a full name, community of residence and a daytime telephone number, although the number will not be published. Please email letters to letters@sduniontribune.com. These and additional letters can be viewed online at sandiegouniontribune.com/letters