Why help China pollute?

Sun., Dec. 2, 2012

The question of whether Spokane wants to serve as a pass-through for coal trains is an ethical as well as an environmental one.

Last summer, my husband and I drove to Alaska and back. While there, we drove to Homer, which is on a spit (peninsula). The air was surprisingly murky. I asked what caused the apparent air pollution, since Alaska has no industry. I was told it was from China! So, if Spokane has all those coal trains carrying coal on its way to China, the coal that we provide will fuel their power plants and pollute our air. Do we really want to be party to that?

Together, China and India have one-third of the world’s population. They both have access to seawater. Let them develop a technology to get energy from seawater, our largest natural resource. France is doing it. So can they – and us.

Candy Frankel

Spokane

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