PUBLIC HEALTH
Obese people should
be held accountable
Regarding “Obesity Week in Atlanta” (Living, Nov. 6), obesity is difficult to combat when obese people are featured on TV shows; in advertising (both print and TV), and in the movies. When most people you live with or associate with and most of the people you see every day are obese, it becomes normal.
Obesity is a sensitive subject. However, medical professionals must directly and forcefully address obesity with individual patients. We who are at or near normal weight must hold our friends and family members accountable.
America needs a “war on obesity” — not legislation to restrict certain foods, but by personal example and through statements from public officials. America should tell the obese they must change. This will take time, but it can be done.
EDWARD A. WATKINS, LILBURN
HOLIDAY TRADITIONS
Macy’s artificial tree:
Is it honestly ‘green’?
Regarding “Macy’s: Artificial tree still great” (News, Nov. 7), how is Macy’s new artificial tree protecting the environment and saving energy?
Live trees are a renewable resource. The energy required to make a “real” tree comes from sunlight. Counter this with the anticipated gases that will emit from whatever materials this artificial tree is made from, and the many energy sources needed to manufacture this tree. I cannot begin to imagine how this new “green” tree is better for the environment.
A live tree will require energy to harvest it and truck it to Macy’s parking lot, but items used in the manufacture of the artificial tree were trucked to the manufacturing plant. Then, this tree will be trucked to Macy’s. Assuming the tree lasts 10 years, then what? Surely, it’s not biodegradable, as its live counterpart would be.
Shame on the AJC and Macy’s for trying to sell us on the environmental benefits of an artificial tree. If Macy’s wants an artificial tree, fine — but don’t try to package this decision as something that it is not.
TRACI MORDELL, SHARPSBURG
Thanksgiving is going,
Christmas may be next
Thanksgiving and Christmas were once the most special, meaningful holidays of the year, manifested in shuttered shops — which gave people the opportunity to take the day off and celebrate the holidays.
Now, Thanksgiving is being sacrificed, as a growing number of retailers are planning to open that day to encourage us to start our holiday shopping ever earlier. It’s only a matter of time now before Christmas will be just another day — literally “business as usual” — with stores opening at noon so we can spend that gift card and return that hideous, just-unwrapped sweater.
TERRI SILVER, CUMMING
ENVIRONMENT
Price carbon usage
to offset its damage
Regarding “Obama signs climate order” (News, Nov. 2), it’s sad that President Obama has to focus the nation’s resources on preparing for the impacts of climate change, instead of addressing the root cause of climate change.
If an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, why not put a price on the carbon in fossil fuels, increasing the carbon fee annually until it equals the damage carbon is doing to our oceans and climate? We would then give 100 percent of the collected fee back to the people. We pay for carbon damage in higher food prices, higher insurance, and higher emergency management costs when extreme weather ravages our neighborhoods and farms.
TODD J. SMITH, JASPER
