Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for April 5, 2023

Science should lead us all to eat vegetables

The overwhelming consensus on climate science — that it’s caused by humans and it’s wreaking havoc — was denied and obfuscated by the fossil fuel industry.

For example, Exxon-Mobil has been accused of burying its own data. It funded academia that seems intent on producing studies to challenge the overwhelming scientific consensus that fossil fuels heat the planet. The goal, it appears, is to inject doubt so people can deny the science and not make needed changes.

True science shows that feeding tons of vegetables and millions of gallons of California’s precious water through cows to produce meat and milk is a staggeringly inefficient way to feed people. Cattle ranching in America denudes millions of acres of land. Ninety million domesticated U.S. cows displace more wild animals every year.

At Point Reyes National Seashore, cattle operations are the largest source of water pollution and land degradation. Elk suffer and die from being confined behind cattle fences.

No amount of obfuscation changes these grim, deadly realities.

Despite what Brian Casey wrote in his recent Marin Voice (“Is a plant-based diet really better for Marin and the planet?” March 14), there is scientific consensus about the pollution and climate effects of raising large animals for human consumption. Heaven forbid that humans should eat more vegetables.

“Sustainable beef” is a delusion. It is the “clean coal” of the cattle industry. Our grandmothers had it right: Be kind to animals and eat your vegetables.

— Jack Gescheidt, San Rafael

Cash-back carbon tax is the real best answer

I found it odd that small-government proponent and conservative economist Wayne Winegarden would use his recently published California Voice commentary to suggest replacing state Sen. Scott Wiener’s “anti-greenwashing” carbon reporting bill, SB 253, with taxpayer subsidies for specific industries like carbon capture (“Bill requiring corporations to report emissions could backfire on state residents,” March 28).

I found it even odder that he didn’t mention the one method, supported by 3,640 of the country’s most eminent economists, that would easily reveal the carbon content of any company’s entire supply chain: a national, annually increasing carbon tax with a carbon cash-back feature.

The carbon tax, paid by fossil fuel companies at the source, would cascade through supply chains from start to finish. The more carbon used, the higher the final price.

Individuals could avoid carbon costs by buying lower-carbon alternatives. Low carbon products would be cheaper. Businesses would work hard to create such low-carbon, low-cost alternatives.

The tax revenue would fund a carbon cash-back feature like the one in Canada. Regular, equal-share carbon cash-back payments would be sent to all individual taxpayers. If the purchases involve less than the average amount of carbon, the buyer makes money.

The price signal from a carbon tax would also boost truly “green” subsidies, like the ones in the Inflation Reduction Act. We’d see many more high-efficiency heat pumps a lot faster if the carbon tax made them even cheaper to operate compared to expensive gas-fired alternatives.

Climate change itself is horribly expensive, as we can all see this winter. The faster we can get off fossil fuels, the less cost we’ll all have to bear. A socially just carbon tax can help show the way.

— Ray Welch, Marinwood

Democrats: Remember what’s important to state

In a recent commentary, IJ political columnist Dick Spotswood identified an important issue (“There are dangers to Democrats’ California supermajority,” March 29).

Living in Marin and, to some extent, most of coastal California, we sometimes get lost in what is really important politically to the larger population of the state from what is the progressive issue of the day. This is not to say that some of the issues that our more progressive community members emphasize are not real and need to be addressed. Rather, it is to say that, by putting such focus on them at the expense of issues that affect both California and the nation as a whole, it becomes more difficult to get consensus to try to solve the problems such as climate change, immigration and food insecurity.

Even when talking to people in other parts of the state, as well as many in “red” states, there can be commonality of goals and purposes if we can avoid talking at each other and, instead, talk to each other. Right now, whether in Marin, San Francisco, the San Joaquin Valley or far Northern California, the barriers set up by the far ends of the political spectrum make it more difficult to address real issues.

If the Democratic supermajority can’t do it, more of us will move to the independent status and look for people who can make things happen to address the state’s most important issues.

— Steve Ziman, San Rafael

Support is needed for Goldie’s Act, USDA reform

Last year, U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman did the right thing and signed on as co-sponsor of a bill to restore welfare to the Animal Welfare Act. Goldie’s Act, HR 1788, has now been reintroduced in the 118th Congress. Please join me in urging Huffman to once again co-sponsor this important bill that would require reform at USDA to protect vulnerable dogs in puppy mills and research facilities.

The bill is called Goldie’s Act after a golden retriever who died at a facility licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA is required to inspect commercial breeders to ensure compliance with the Animal Welfare Act, yet the agency failed to act, allowing horrific cruelty to unfold in large scale operations.

Unfortunately, Goldie’s case is all too common. For more than half a decade, countless animals were suffering at a federally licensed research breeding facility operated by a company called Envigo. The USDA failed to protect the animals at the Envigo facility from inconceivably cruel treatment despite documenting dozens of animal welfare violations including starving, ill, injured, dead and dying dogs. It wasn’t until last year, after the Department of Justice filed a complaint against Envigo, that the Virginia facility shuttered and 4,000 beagles being kept there were relinquished.

These dogs were rescued, but the USDA failed egregiously in their duties to protect them. A recent Reuters exposé revealed that the USDA actively took steps to cover up Envigo’s malpractice and, in turn, their own negligence.

The USDA has repeatedly let down animals depending on them for protection without repercussion. Congress must pass Goldie’s Act to improve the Animal Welfare Act enforcement on federally licensed facilities. Please reach out to Huffman to call for USDA reform and to cosponsor and pass Goldie’s Act to protect vulnerable animals.

— Johan Broen, Mill Valley

Renters’ credit could help crisis of SF’s unhoused

I am writing to express my deep concern about the homeless crisis and the suffering of people on the streets of San Francisco. As a resident of the city, I have witnessed firsthand the devastating effects on the community. It is heart-wrenching to see so many people living in poverty, struggling with addiction and without a roof over their heads.

Homelessness is the root cause of many bad things happening in San Francisco. I think it has led to increased crime, decreased public safety and a significant strain on our health care system. It’s unacceptable that, in a city as wealthy as ours, we still have people sleeping on the streets, unable to afford a place to call home and unable to break free from the poverty cycle.

I support a refundable renters’ tax credit, similar to the child tax credit, as one way to ease the burden. I am a part of a volunteer organization called Results. It advocates to fight poverty. We are proposing this tax credit as a way to provide financial assistance to those struggling to pay rent and prevent them from becoming homeless.

I urge Rep. Nancy Pelosi, as the representative of the district, to consider this proposal and take action to address the crisis in San Francisco. I believe that, with her leadership and support, we can make a real difference in the lives of those affected by this crisis. By working together, we can create positive change and improve the quality of life for all of us.

— Malika Nurbekova, San Francisco