No straight answers
TO THE EDITOR: I try to be "green." I recently purchased a cordless electric mower; works pretty good, actually, and I get a decent workout on our one-half-plus acre lawn.
However, I wonder why the wind -arm industry does not give the public some straight answers? For instance:
▶ How much taxpayer money (via government grants) goes into each tower?
▶ How does the public recoup that money?
▶ How do investors/business recoup their money?
▶ How much power does each tower generate in a day - enough to power my lawn mower?
▶ How does that power get into "the system" ?
▶ How is it stored?
EHow much money does that generate per tower per day?
▶ Who benefits from that money?
▶ Why doesn't the U.S. build wind farms offshore like England? Is that not much less controversial?
Shalom
Al Johnson
Mooers
School diets
TO THE EDITOR: As another school year begins, millions of parents are rushing to buy school supplies and worrying about whether their kids will make friends. But should they also be worried about what's served in school cafeterias?
As a dietitian working to improve school nutrition, I know schools are working hard to serve healthier meals to fight childhood obesity. In a recent School Nutrition Association survey, more than half of schools surveyed are increasing vegetarian options. We must do everything in our power to help. Currently, Congress is reauthorizing child nutrition legislation and raising nutrition standards for school meals. Soon, schools will be asked to serve more fruits, vegetables, and other healthful plant foods, and less sodium and saturated fat.
Schools should have access to vegetarian center-of-the-plate commodity foods, in addition to fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Studies show that low-fat vegetarian foods can help lower the risk of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and other health problems plaguing children. Children who are introduced to healthful foods early on have a greater chance of developing lifelong good eating habits and lifelong good health.
Kathryn Strong, M.S., R.D.
Staff dietitian
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Washington, DC
