Rebuild with sustainability in mind

Regarding “Here’s a blueprint for rebuilding Paradise” (Open Forum, Dec. 14): I heartily agree with Samuel Saenz’s blueprint for Paradise. Let’s rebuild with sustainability in mind: new schools, housing and commercial structures that harness solar power. Plans should include water conservation, appropriate emergency egress and an adequate sewer system (not the current septic tanks). Include new homes for seniors and the disabled as well as for young families. Climate change demands a new collective approach to handling catastrophic disasters. Individual homeowners can’t expect to do this on their own. I hope state, county and local governments will team up with architects and city planners to rebuild Paradise for the 21st century.

Carla Woodworth, Berkeley

Pelosi’s commitment

Regarding “GOP loses on food stamps in farm bill” (Nation, Dec. 12): As Tal Kopan reported, a swath of advocates celebrated the compromise farm bill legislation that Congress passed. While several rank-and-file members played key roles, we would be remiss to overlook the tremendous impact made by Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi especially with respect to animal protection. As one of the key principals involved in final negotiations, she rebuffed a number of destructive proposals, including an amendment that could have undermined countless duly enacted state and local agriculture laws. This provision threatened not only recent ballot measures in California that protect farm animals, but also laws addressing alcohol, fire-safe cigarettes, child labor, diseased livestock, seed standards and a variety of other concerns.

Further, the final farm bill includes three proactive measures to help animals: It will prohibit the slaughter and trade of dogs and cats for human consumption as California has already done, help victims of domestic violence and their pets escape from dangerous situations, and strengthen the federal animal fighting law. These victories would not have been accomplished without Pelosi’s commitment, for which the animal protection community is mightily grateful.

Sara Amundson, president, Humane Society

Legislative Fund, Washington, D.C.

Protect the trees

What’s missing in plans for California’s water distribution is the vital need to protect its very birthplace, our many forested watersheds. Trees there are first responders, catching rain and snow, storing it in their root-laced earth, sending it to our rivers, crops and cities. Because their metabolism requires absorbing tons of carbon dioxide, they also routinely keep that greenhouse gas out of our atmosphere, while we slowly try to reduce vehicle and industrial emissions. Urgent prohibition of irresponsible timber harvest like clear-cutting is essential; finding and destroying illegal marijuana farms would help.

Bob Moncrieff, Monte Sereno

Noisy restaurants

Regarding “In S.F. restaurants, it’s din with dinner” (Page One, Dec. 19): Thanks for writing about ways to identify and avoid loud restaurants. I find it absurd that people prefer loud restaurants, giving them “energy” as one of your chef-owners stated. How could anyone enjoy a good meal, while needing to yell to be heard by dinner companions and impairing their hearing and their vocal cords to boot. Instead of creating “energy,” loud restaurants are exhausting.

Nancy Bartell, Berkeley

Chicken and egg

Restaurant noise begs the question: Is a restaurant noisy because it’s crowded, or is it crowded because it’s noisy?

Reasonable candidate

Regarding “Perhaps Trump can’t win in 2020, but Dems can lose” (Insight, Dec. 16): I find myself in the unusual position of agreeing with Jonah Goldberg. The only change I’d make is to replace “can” with “will.” So my suggestion is to concede that the Republicans will win the presidency in 2020 and concentrate on electing a president we can live with — one who for example believes in helping folks afford health care, that women have a right to control their own bodies, that climate change is real, and other reasonable and generally held views. Then in states that don’t allow crossover voting in primaries, Democrats should register Republican and together with reasonable Republicans nominate a reasonable candidate for president. This will leave the remaining Democrats to nominate some unelectable candidate, but we know they’ll do that anyway.

David Posner, Napa Dan Blackwelder, San Francisco

Josh Edelson / AFP / Getty Images A Nov. 15 aerial photo shows a neighborhood in Paradise (Butte County) that was destroyed by the Camp Fire, which started Nov. 8.