Letting them know

By Margaret S. Johnson
Reedley

(Updated Thursday, January 2, 2003, 4:42 PM)

A meaningful way to help clean the air is to keep after local, state and national legislators to vote for environmental issues. Hearing from constituents can counteract the pressures they get from polluters. Just as important, we should elect only those who state they want to work for clean air and water. In particular, let local representatives be aware they are being watched, such as the Madera County supervisor who openly states he opposes environmentalists.

We can let polluting businesses know it is up to them to clean up their act. Those businesses are pinpointed on the Internet. One of them is in Reedley, and a lot more are in other locations in our country.

Additionally, we can all help by purchasing vehicles with good mileage ratings in addition to other well-known practices to protect our air and water. Newspapers can emphasize the Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy ratings in their automobile sections.