Recycling seems good, but it's an illusion

For several years I lived in a suburb of Seattle with curbside recycling. It seemed to make sense. Then I discovered that there was no way to recycle most of the stuff that was picked up.

Nobody around there melted down glass, nor do they anywhere as far as I know. There are too many varieties of plastic to be recycled, except for milk containers that constituted a sufficient volume of one kind of plastic to be worth recycling.

We already have a lot of recycling regulations directed mostly at big commercial or governmental agencies. It seems we are about to impose more regulations (and expense) on individual families.

The idea of recycling itself is so virtuous that one hardly stops to examine it. Waste is collected and goes away into the magic word "recycling" and comes back as useful products. However, like all magic, it is mostly an illusion. I hope that both politicians and environmentalists will take a good look at recycling to see what the added effort and expense will accomplish.

Harold Loomis

Don't beautify roads, make them smooth

Will someone explain how a beautification project on Hunakai Street near Kahala Mall can proceed when we constantly hear "we don't have money for this" and "we don't have money for that" from government officials?

First a perfectly paved street is dug up, a lot more money is spent to beautify it, then more money will be needed for the upkeep on the landscaping. First Kaimuki town, then the underpass on Waialae Avenue, and now this.

We have a lot of streets that just need repaving. That would help make things more beautiful.

Clark Himeda

Saddam's surrender would ease Iraqis' pain

It is inevitable that Iraq will lose the war. Therefore, Saddam Hussein should give up, thus sparing further destruction of Iraq's infrastructure, its military and the suffering and lives of its civilians.

The sooner the war ends, the sooner there will be a new regime, freedom for its people, and the rebuilding of Iraq by the United States and others. But Saddam ignores reality, subjecting Iraq to further destruction and its people to more suffering. It's a pity.

How Tim Chang

Hawaii needs women's, children's commission

The Hawaii Commission on the Status of Women is the only organization in the state whose mission it is to track women's status and issues, coordinate services and advocate for women's and children's well- being.

Cutting money for this agency is unwise. Women nurture and care for the young and the old in this state. Their health and well-being is essential for the health and well-being of the state as a whole. Hawaii needs this commission now more than ever before to help our citizens cope with drugs, alcohol, poverty and inadequate education.

Please do not delete this agency and its allocation of $95,000. Continue to care for women and children in Hawaii.

Ruey Jane Ryburn

Trip shows patriotism abounds in America

Spring break found us traveling in North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and California (San Diego). We stayed in hotels within a few miles of Marine Corps Camps LeJeune (N.C.) and Pendleton (Calif). During our 10-night travel, we saw no protest or peace gatherings except those orchestrated television events in San Francisco, New York and Washington D.C.

Yellow ribbons, U.S. flags, troop encouragement and American pride banners were proudly displayed everywhere. Direct and overheard conversations enhanced my feelings for the bravery and determination of our troops, and further instilled my pride in being an American.

News broadcasts and newspaper reports that emanated from in and around the military camps were especially uplifting. As word of the first casualties arrived from those front-stationed Marine forces, I saw greater resolve and an even stronger sense of pride in self and country. The morale of our military, its extended family, the public and local news reporters -- who provided facts, not conjecture, on the status of the war and military loved ones -- was positive, patriotic and reassuring.

Now that the axis of evil has struck down one of Hawaii's military family, it's time for all free Americans to set aside our differences, pull together and fully support our military forces.

Stephen N. Bischoff

Those fighting for it should rebuild Iraq

The U.N. Security Council can't wait to tackle nation-building in Iraq. To help move things along, here are my nominations for each area of responsibility.

>> Establishing a free press: Syria
>> Rebuilding the economy: Guinea
>> Setting up fair elections: China
>> Enforcing disarmament: Pakistan
>> Training a new military: France

Do you agree that Iraq would then be headed for more disaster? The United States, Great Britain and Spain are best qualified to represent the values we are fighting for. Many cooks do not always guarantee a better stew.

Mark Denzer