Dim view of policy

Mr. Ethan Reid’s letter (Nov. 19) is a typical well-meaning but shortsighted opinion. While I’m sure almost everyone would prefer to have and use the most energy-efficient and “green” devices of all types, it should never be the role of government to tell us what we must or cannot use.

In the instance of home lighting, there are several medical conditions with literally millions of sufferers for whom fluorescent lighting is very harmful. This type of “green” lighting is known to cause seizures in epileptics and serious discomfort or exacerbation of symptoms for those with lupus.

Another example of governmental overreach that has received a good amount of discussion on these pages is the Spokane County ban on dishwashing detergent that contains phosphates. Nice idea, but most days I’d prefer dishes that are actually clean to a 50-mile stretch of river with a slightly lower phosphate content. The amount of energy I use to wash the same dishes three times just might outweigh the negative impact of phosphates, don’t you think?

Alan Wolfson

Spokane