Speaking of sprawl …

Reading Sunday’s (May 16) paper there were some contradictory information, for starters the Earth Week section mentions methane warming. It says that it doesn’t last as long in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, which trees utilize to create oxygen.

In the next paragraph, Earth Week states areas of felled forest around the world collectively the size of France have re-grown naturally during the past 20 years, thus potentially soaking up more carbon emissions the U.S. creates in a year (including good ole Spokane).

In the Guest Opinion article we have sustainability addressed (“Sustainability plan puts city ahead of the curve,” David Camp and Emily Grant), of which the writers did not know of the information presented in the Earth Week section.

So what is a reader to think? Seems we should be thinking about healthy forests and not urban sprawl the likes of which has happened on Highway 291 to the 88-acre Sundance Golf Course. The new development, according to the Spokesman, could take 5 years to complete. Meanwhile, the nearby residents have lost a beautiful green area (carbon dioxide sponge). They also get to experience construction traffic and more road congestion from perhaps 1,000 new residents. Not to mention placing a strain on Lakeside High School.

Don Vicena

Spokane