Letters: Counting on Pennsylvania voters; Too late to change the rules

Counting on Pennsylvania voters

I lived in Happy Valley for almost 30 years, raising my kids, enjoying and participating in our wonderful community. I left to be closer to grandchildren. Now I am looking with concern at my beloved Pennsylvania as it again becomes the pivotal state that might decide this election. I can no longer vote here, but I feel that the fate of my grandchildren is in your hands. In the same way, I hear from friends and family abroad who are watching our election with concern, for they feel that their fate, the fate of the world is in our hands. So, in extension, the voters of Pennsylvania hold the fate of the world in their hands. Please take this duty seriously, and vote! Make sure your vote is counted! I am counting on you, and so is the rest of the world and my grandchildren.

Too late to change the rules

How can this be true? The “party of Lincoln” at the state and federal level has repeatedly sued Pennsylvania over voting issues.

I realize that their leader, Donald Trump, has all his life chosen to use lawsuits when differences occur. Contractors want to be paid? Lawsuit. People want employment rights:? Lawsuit. Neighbors dispute one of his projects? Lawsuit. A woman is sexually assaulted? Lawsuit. File a lawsuit.

How is it that our Republican state and federal representatives and their “party” have adopted this unproductive, confrontational, and costly way of operating? When they could have been making voting as safe, fair, accessible and democratic as possible, they file lawsuits? Do they not know better than this?

Now they threaten to sue to change the rules AFTER we have already voted! After the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled that ballots postmarked by Nov. 3, and received within three days should be counted, they threaten to sue after we have all voted, to then change the rules? Overseas ballots will still be coming in. The post office has been tampered with. We are in a pandemic. Enough is enough.

Changing the rules after the fact is not acceptable in business, school exams, racing, football or children’s games. Why accept it in a state and national election?

National and state Republicans should put their valuable resources and energy into helping the people of Pennsylvania deal with all the difficulties we now face. That takes actual work, not just filing lawsuits.

Danger in gas-powered leaf blowers

Not many of us would breathe directly from a car tailpipe for a half hour, but using a gas-powered leaf blower has significantly worse emissions than a car tailpipe. And we certainly would not tell our children to breathe from a car tailpipe, but when they are nearby while a gas-powered leaf blower is operating they are subject to much worse emissions. I cannot imagine how damaging leaf blowers are to lawn company employees who use them all day long.

Using a gas-powered leaf blower for a half hour emits as much air pollution as driving a pickup truck 3,887 miles (approximately northern Texas to Anchorage, Alaska). The four-stroke leaf blower is better than a two-stroke, but still puts out approximately 6.8 times more nitrogen oxide, 13.5 times more carbon monoxide and 36 times more non-methane hydrocarbons than the Raptor pickup truck. The pollution they produce has been shown very detrimental by the American Lung Association, California Air Resources Board, Pediatric Environmental Health Unit at Mt. Sinai Hospital, National Park Service, and others.

Not only are leaf blowers bad for our health, but they are also bad for our lawns. The blower’s force actually strips the lawn of top soil, nutrients and beneficial organisms. At the same time they kick up allergens and lawn chemicals.

For the health of lawn care employees and your community, please consider less damaging alternatives to gas-powered leaf blowers or choose a lawn company that uses raking, mulching, vacuums, or electric/battery-powered equipment. Thank you!