This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, March 7, 2017

DST

I googled and asked does daylight savings time save energy? The answer is no and that more energy is used during DST. Why can’t we do away with DST?

Why we need an arborist

The city’s (Warner Robins) efforts in making it an attractive and clean city in which all citizens can take pride has been recognized many times by the National Arbor Foundation, Keep Georgia Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful, Inc. The city has designated one day in February as Arbor Day. Its continued growth makes the care of trees even more critical to its reputation as a progressive and beautiful city. A most important part of the city’s beautification efforts has been the care of its trees. The city’s interest in this area has been the designation of the Crepe Myrtle tree as its official tree. Since its adoption, nearly 600 have been planted and more are being added. This tree and all others need the expertise of a registered arborist. Plus, we have about 25 beautification sites located throughout the city and a nature trail with an investment of over $386,000.

Arborists specialize in the care of trees. Proper care of trees enhance the city’s esthetics. This is why the Keep Warner Robins Beautiful board strongly recommends the establishment of an arborist position who can provide expertise in the areas of tree pruning, tree removal and/or replacement due to storm damage, disease, or unacceptable risks associated with obstruction, crowding, etc. An arborist can also provide preventive maintenance programs to keep trees in good health while reducing insects, diseases, or site problems. Houston County has done some excellent work in this area and possibly an arborist could serve the county and its cities.

The advantages of the city or county having an arborist are numerous. It would be an investment with enormous returns and benefits that can be enjoyed by all of its citizens. But most importantly, we need to leave an environment to those who come after us, one in which they can take great pride.

Time to wake up

Do you know that the United States is the only industrialized nation where the life expectancy of its citizens is steadily declining? Could this be because our food is being poisoned, our water, lakes and streams are contaminated, our air polluted, and prescription drugs are being dispensed like M&M’s.

Dialysis has become a trillion dollar enterprise. It has been reported that over 86,000 more people died in 2015 than in 2014 and our mortality rate is trending toward overtaking the rate in Mexico in the near future. Heart disease, cancer and diabetes are among the primary killers. Do you know that many of the chemicals that companies are allowed to put in our food in this country are prohibited in most other industrialized countries? Even so, many politicians are aggressively calling for less government regulations which will give companies even more freedom to peddle their poisons.

Surely, this decrease in regulations will accelerate the decline in the health of American citizens while allowing the increased destruction of our natural resources and environment in the process. They are permitted to do this for the sole purpose of increasing large corporations’ bottom line. Too many Democratic and Republican voters almost always vote for the candidate of their party affiliation even if that candidate is clearly loyal only to corporations and continuously vote against the health, safety and general interest of the voters in their districts.

Voters must realize that they must educate themselves on the critical issues, and learn if these issues will have a positive or negative effect on their families going forward. Too many American voters continue to allow themselves to be duped by media outlets and elected corporate puppets into thinking the most important issues today are perfunctory walls, emails and bathrooms. Sadly, while we are consumed by these hot button side-bar issues, the life expectancy of you and your children continues its steady decline and will soon reach that of a Third World country.

Who should we blame?

I feel for the family that lost the Navy SEAL in the Middle East. I feel for all of the families, myself included, who have lost family members. Blaming a president or a former president leaves out one very glaring point. They are military and military members sometimes die in action. Washington, Madison, Jackson, Lincoln, Wilson, Roosevelt, Truman, Johnson, Nixon, Clinton were all presidents when men and women die. Shouldn’t we blame the enemy. We need to look ahead, not back. God save the families and blame does no good.

Tribute to Perdue

I’m very concerned about what both the media and protestors are saying about Sen. David Perdue. I’ve known David for 50 years. We met when we were students at Northside High School in Warner Robins. He is the same person now as he was then. He is a caring and compassionate man of principle. He’s always willing to listen and lend a helping hand to those in need. He loves this state of Georgia we’re blessed to call home and he loves the United States of America.

We live in a time where too many politicians only care about themselves. David Perdue is not one of them. He has not and will not run from tough questions. He will always listen and he will always do what he thinks is right for our state and the United States. I hope the folks who are spending so much time ridiculing Perdue will take the time to look at how he’s standing up for us in the Senate and how he’s never forgotten where he came from.He is a good man and I wish we had more people like him in Congress.

Trash exclusion

I own totally land locked property in Macon-Bibb County. There is no road, no water, no sewer or electricity. To be charged hundreds of dollars for a service, (trash), that is totally unavailable, is a form of taxation. The ordinance needs wording that includes asking for an exclusion of the “tax” on land that is land locked and no trash pick up is available. I know such an exclusion is possible especially since the mayor is a lawyer.

This story was originally published March 6, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, March 7, 2017."