Letters to the Editor 8/14 | San Luis Obispo Tribune

Thank you, Lee

I want to thank Lee Ferrero for being so open and honest about living with Alzheimer’s disease and sharing this with the public (“You can learn to live with Alzheimer’s,” Aug. 1). 

With the aging Baby Boomers, this disease will wreak havoc with our health care system.

It was easier to discuss my husband’s cancer and prognosis than it was to talk about his Alzheimer’s disease. He started with the disease at age 59 and died at 65. Many people are totally robbed of their senior years.

We are so fortunate in San Luis Obispo County to have the Alzheimer’s Association. They have a wealth of information and provide wonderful support groups, great classes for caregivers and professionals and retreats for caretakers. Project Life Saver helped give us a wonderful peace of mind. 

Lee, enjoy each day to the utmost. My prayers are with you and your family.

Jan Wilson

San Luis Obispo

Go green with green

I think it is admirable that a group of billionaires, led by Microsoft’s Bill Gates, are donating at least half their assets to charity (“Philanthropists pledge billions; Silicon Valley can follow suit,” Aug. 7).

However, I wish they would consider giving their money to green businesses like wind power, solar, bio fuel, etc. Also, helping with the education of low-income youth and assistance to health care would be welcome, I’m sure.

“Charity” helps, but jobs, education and renewable energy help more.

Robert Matano

Cayucos

Unbalanced cycle

Unlike Dean Carlson, I commend The Tribune for continuing to publish editorials that promote the anthropomorphic global warming theory (“Dangerous theory,” Aug. 2).

Despite the fact that climate scientists, who are actually doing the research, agree that Earth is warming and that human production of greenhouse gases is the dominant cause, skepticism about global warming has increased among the general public.

I suspect that confusing coverage of the controversy is largely responsible for this, and I am gratified by The Tribune’s responsible position.

Carlson does not believe that the small amount that human sources add to the greenhouse gas load in the Earth’s atmosphere can be driving global warming. However, it is not the size of the addition that matters, but the fact that we have unbalanced the cycle of production and absorption.

As a result of this imbalance, the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has increased by about 40 percent, with most of this increase coming within the last 50 years.

Unfortunately, letters do not allow enough space to adequately address Carlson’s other contentions, but suffice it to say that they have been more than adequately addressed by the scientists who study this field. Who should we trust, the experts or the conspiracy theorists?

Bruce T. Bevans

Atascadero