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Readers write for Wednesday, Feb. 23

February 22, 2011 at 11:56PM

Illustration by Bruce Bjerva (Susan Hogan — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

WISCONSIN

Protests appear needed, but voting helps, too

I watched a conservative radio commentator on a morning news show today. She was blaming the economic situation on people "who had no business buying houses."

Had I been able, I would have reached through the screen, grabbed her by the neck and screamed, "Why not? Doesn't the average, hardworking, middle-class family have a share of the American dream anymore?"

Watching the attempt at union busting in Wisconsin, I wonder why we want to tear down what public employees have gained through collective bargaining.

Why not instead try to raise the wages and benefits of other Americans? If we lowered the taxes on the job creators, then where are the jobs?

If corporations and the rich are allowed to continue to determine the country's direction, Egypt-style demonstrations are our only recourse.

TERRENCE FRENCH, ANDOVER

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The prolabor crowds in Wisconsin are impressive, but I wish someone would poll the protesters to determine the percentage who voted in November. It would have been a lot easier to take 10 minutes to vote than to camp out at the Capitol for a week to protect one's standard of living.

LISA BRIENZO, ST. PAUL

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In a country where professional athletes feel a need to belong to a union in order to protect their rights and financial interests, is it any wonder that teachers are reluctant to give up their right to bargain collectively?

SEAN FOLEY, RICHFIELD

SNOWPLOWS

A thankless task, done by someone like you

Snowplowing is a thankless job done by the working class of our community. Most of it is done by public employees who finish their regular shifts after a full night of plowing. My husband is one of them.

Not all public employees are overpaid; my husband hasn't had a raise in more than three years. So when you feel like degrading the people who keep our infrastructure working smoothly, please don't lump all public employees together. Most of them are people just like you who are trying to maintain a living for their families and retire.

How would you have driven to work following last weekend's snowstorm if someone's husband/father/wife/mother hadn't plowed? Maybe each citizen should be responsible for plowing in front of their homes, and we could see how long it would take for the roads to be cleared.

TERRI CLAYCOMB, ST. MICHAEL

LEED STANDARDS

A fine thing to aim for, but a bit off-kilter

Thank you, St. Louis Park, for seeing LEED accreditation for what it is ("Cities pass up green stamp of approval, say it costs too much," Feb. 22).

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) started with the best of intentions, to identify and highlight projects that truly save energy and protect the environment. Unfortunately, being a national institution, it tried to cover everyone with a single blanket.

Here in Minnesota, where heating degree days far outnumber the cooling hours, more points are given for energy-efficient air conditioners than for high-efficiency heating.

It's my understanding that Target Field failed to get higher LEED accreditation because it did not include a high-efficiency heating system in an outdoor stadium.

Points are given in seemingly uneven ways as well. A bike rack for commuters can garner the same number as a higher-efficiency heating plant. With installation costs what they are, many opt for the bikes, forgoing the lifetime savings in operation costs.

My favorite example comes from a conversation with a heating, air conditioning and ventilation contractor in Las Vegas. He told me of a LEED meeting about a new hotel and casino in which the committee spent a large portion of the morning arguing the design of the rainwater runoff and holding ponds for the parking lots. The debate was tabled (after many contractors had given up and left) after one of the locals pointed out that Las Vegas gets just over 4 inches of rain a year.

LEED is a fine standard to aim for, but a plaque on the wall and boost to the ego are hardly worth the money.

STEVEN JONES, ARDEN HILLS

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St. Louis Park won't seek LEED certifications for its fire stations because they say it costs too much to go green. One item mentioned was lights that switch off when rooms are idle. Maybe somebody should tell them something I learned as a child: The last person to leave the room turns off the lights. There's a switch on the wall, and you put one finger on it and flick it up or down. Why does one need a machine to do that?

JANET LLERANDI, ST. PAUL

NEW ZEALAND EARTHQUAKE

The wonderful people there need our help

Twenty years ago, I spent three months bicycling and camping throughout New Zealand. I will never forget the friendly welcome I received all along the way. Many New Zealanders even opened their homes to me for warm meals and soft beds. A restful three days in Christchurch -- one of the most civilized, beautiful cities I have visited -- is particularly memorable.

Even though they're half a world away, our neighbors desperately need our help. Please take a moment to visit the web site of the New Zealand Red Cross (www.redcross.org.nz) to make a contribution.

MATT KARL, MINNEAPOLIS