Hoping for action

It was heart warming to see people of all ages gathered on all four corners of North Bend’s center intersection waving signs last week saying “Thanks” to the global army of teenage demonstrators who had spent the morning demanding worldwide action to cut emissions in the race to stop global warming. The message to us generational seniors was “We are in the beginning of what could be mass extinction if you don’t take serious action now, and you’ll be to blame.” Do we want that to be the legacy of our generations?

We realize science can only tell us what is happening and the cause. We recognize only people can rise up and do what needs to be done to minimize the potential tragedy. I’d like to think the small Snoqualmie Valley group that showed up on those four corners represents all favored to live here hardly touched so far by the ravages of climate change, but determined to do all they can in the battle to preserve life on our planet as we have lived it. Do I dream? I hope not.

David Olson

Issaquah

Our little dirty city

On a Sunday morning, I woke up at 4 a.m. refreshed and ready for a Seahawks game. I thought to myself it’s a nice time to go for a walk. So off I went to Tollgate park. It was way too dark, so I decided to walk downtown North Bend, our little dirty city.

I walked along the southwest side of main street from The New Compass bike shop. I walked from there down to the QFC — construcion mess — and back up the other side. Wow. There were thousands of cigarette butts all around, and lots of garbage in and around the sidewalks.

It’s very obvious that our dirty little city needs a good scrubbing.

I went home and got my garbage picker — that Costco sells at two for $12 — and went back to downtown North Bend and picked up garbage for two hours. Going up one side of the street from QFC to the Pourhouse, I picked up three garbage bags of crap.

I would say the tobacco companies are making millions off the folks who live or visit our dirty little city. About 80 percent of the things picked up were cigarette butts. Makes me wonder several things like: Why can’t you at least use a cigarette ashtray? Are you out of breath from smoking or do you think it’s someone else’s job to pickup after you? Why do our town employees not see this? They spend two hours a day way overwatering the hanging plants, can’t they look down and get it cleaned up?

This is our town. A clean main street is a happy and inviting place to spend tourist dollars. If I were a tourist coming, I would say, “Hey folks, you need to clean up around here.”

The weeds growing in sidewalks and the enclosed tree area are a disgrace. If the city can not afford to do this little bit of work, then lets get help from Snoqualmie — they seem to be able to keep their streets clean.

So my thoughts are quit throwing your butts on city streets, and pick up the litter when you see it. Let’s make it a goal to pick up and clean up our dirty little city.

Ken Vaughn

North Bend