Thank you to Adelaide Parker for “Great Salt Lake Is Disappearing. New Englanders Should Be Concerned” (Perspective, July 20). I appreciate how Parker connected the dots, making clear the environmental connections that link us all, regardless of where in the world we reside. I love the suggestion of working with the State of Utah to problem-solve rather than cast blame and remain entrenched in our political divisions.
What we know as the Great Salt Lake started as Lake Bonneville, which formed about 32,000 years ago. It has receded from about 20,000 square miles and depths of 1,000 feet, to about 1,700 square miles and a maximum depth of about 33 feet today. We can see where this is headed in the long run.
Water is drying up across the United States. The fourth-longest river in the United States, the Rio Grande, has officially dried up [in parts] this year. That’s the second time in three years. The last time it dried up [before this] was in the ’80s. [Climate change is] speeding up.
Many of the problems in the West come from archaic water use rights and farmers using inefficient conservation techniques. The farmers complain that retrofitting farms for efficient water use is too costly. . . . The aquifers that developed over thousands of years are being sucked dry by our overuse of this precious resource. The constant growth of the Greater Salt Lake population hasn’t helped, either. Immediate household and industrial conservation measures should be put in place, if they haven’t been already.
The Your Home: Small Space article on the Cape Elizabeth tiny home was interesting (“A Tall Order,” July 20). The lucky couple who built the fine little home is smart. What I love about the house is the location, in addition to the breezy coastal views, the deep blue paint splashed on the kitchen walls, and the clean, neat spaces. Wow!
Love these Marni Elyse Katz articles. Very cool house. Love how [designers] dealt with the challenges of a narrow lot, etc.
I had no idea how strongly the people of Canada felt (“Canadians Are Livid. Americans Have No Clue,” July 27). We are not all supporters of our administration — actually, some are quite embarrassed by it at this point. Like many of my friends, we can’t wait for the four years to be over.
My angst over the current situation is as much directed toward Canadians like Justin Trudeau, who think they are generals sounding the charge toward the Yankees, as much as toward the US president. Boycotting small businesses such as B&Bs, beach gear stores, restaurants, etc., has no effect whatsoever on Donald Trump. These boycotts and the like are understandably developed out of emotion and reaction. No, not all 340-plus million Americans are alike, or think alike, or vote alike; like the vast majority of the 42 million Canadians, they are preoccupied with making a living and taking care of their families. Going forth, US-Canada relations might be better served by an organization that operates outside official political boundaries, e.g., a US-Canada Citizens Council.
Large numbers of Canadians, including a close friend of mine in Toronto, will not venture south to vacation. New England policymakers recognize the dangers posed by this widespread decline. In May, New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen led a bipartisan delegation to Ottawa. In June, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey hosted meetings with the Northeast Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers. US elected officials and residents aware of the importance of our ties to Canada have a responsibility to try to keep those from fraying completely so that in the post-Trump era we can resume a mutually beneficial relationship based on respect.
Canadians, unlike Americans, understand that a country’s government policies and the humanity of a country’s people don’t necessarily coincide. Canada is indeed angry, because the country has been a faithful ally . . . and a fair and decent trading partner. For Trump to disrupt our economy and our relationship with the US, our standard of living, and denigrate our place as a sovereign nation in North America, would anger you … too if the roles were reversed. But Canadians, unlike a lot of Americans, are able to separate individual Americans from the reckless and nasty behavior of Trump. But . . . Canada won’t trust America ever again.
There has been overreaction on tariff matters. Our president wants to stop all fentanyl coming in from Canada. Countries have already signed trade deals and more will be coming. No mention of this in the article — to me, that is reckless.
Lynne Clifford’s Connections, “Siblinghood” (July 27), was totally on point. When I was born, in 1947, my mother was almost 43! She and my father knew I was going to be the only child. I always — always! — wished I had an older brother or sister to help me with the pitfalls of growing up. My congrats to Clifford and her siblings for putting the battles of childhood aside and being there for each other as they travel along The Road of Life.
I was born after two boys, only to have a third one born when I was 10. I can relate to most of the writer’s experiences, especially the ultimate realizations. When I was 5, my 9-or 10-year old brother was annoyed by being left in charge of me. I overheard this phone call: Hello, City Zoo? I would like to have you send over a lion, to eat my sister. Great! Thank you. When Mom got back a few minutes later, it was to find me sobbing in the upstairs, locked, bathroom. Seventy-five years later, the memory is as vivid as ever. My eldest brother, my Gary, died very suddenly. He is missed acutely, every single day. So, treasure one another.
