The SundayValley News is to be commended for the article on a topic in desperate need of increased public awareness (“Study: Cats Kills Billions of Birds, Wildlife,” Oct. 23). The numbers show that cats are a leading cause of bird mortality.
Wildlife experts estimate that in the summer 100 billion birds reside in the U.S. Cats kill 1.3 billion a year, or more than one in every 100 birds. How does this compare with other causes of bird mortality? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that 900 million birds a year die from window strikes; 50 million die from hitting communication towers; 170 million die from hitting high-tension electrical lines, and vehicles kill 60 million birds a year. Pesticides and poisons kill 75 million; oil spills and oil and wastewater pits kill three million a year. In all, the death toll adds up to 1.25 billion birds annually.
Death by cat predation, at 1.3 billion birds a year, outweighs the sum of all other causes. Of course, not all birds are equally at risk. The hardest-hit birds feed and nest near or on the ground. A disproportionate number of uncommon, rare or endangered birds are in this category. Cats especially target recently fledged birds and nesting birds that stay to defend their chicks — in other words, the breeders and young that would otherwise replenish bird populations. It is my hope that cat owners will extend their love of animals to other living creatures by keeping cats indoors to prevent bird and wildlife killings. The Humane Society too, by promoting the adoption of cats, shares responsibility. Do they insist to would-be cat owners that cats must be kept indoors, or is the Humane Society oblivious to the carnage caused by outdoor cats?
As the SundayValley News article pointed out, only a minority of birds and animals injured by cats are found and taken to a wildlife clinic. The rest suffer untended pain from punctures to vital organs and infection from cat bites. They die a death that is anything but humane.
Lilian ShenThetford Center Rally for Organic Standards
I was pleased to see notice in the Valley News of the upcoming organic farmers’ Rally in the Valley, but some significant information was left out (“Lawmakers and Farmers Rally Against Hydroponics,” Oct 21). The rally will be a gathering of organic farmers and eaters at Cedar Circle Farm in East Thetford Sunday, starting at noon. We are protesting the continued erosion of the USDA organic standards, especially regarding the inclusion of soil-less growing under the organic label. Organic farming has always been based on improving the health of the soil, rather than on removing soil entirely from agriculture.
We are currently seeing an explosion of hydroponic fruits and vegetables gaining the organic seal. All of this is happening with no way for people in the stores to identify what is hydroponic. There is little awareness of the hydroponic invasion because it is invisible. The rally will begin with a cavalcade of marchers and over 20 tractors, followed by Sen. Pat Leahy, Rep. Peter Welch, author/farmer Eliot Coleman and Vermont organic farmers speaking on this issue. There will be music by Pooh Sprague and his Three Hoarsemen, as well as food by the Skinny Pancake and the NOFA wood-fired pizza oven.
There is an ongoing struggle to keep organic standards real. As organic food has become more popular, there have been many attempts by Big Farming to cash in on the trust and desire for something different in our food system. The only way we can prevent this is to speak up. If you want to support your local organic farmers and to help keep federal organic standards strong, please join over 50 of Vermont’s best organic farms at the Rally in the Valley.
Dave Chapman, Long Wind Farm East Thetford
This is in response to Patricia Greene’s Forum letter (“Who to Believe About Syria?” Oct. 23). After apparently listening to recent interviews with Assad and his wife, she feels the Assads are “intelligent, compassionate, brave and caring.” She goes on to assert that the gas attacks were not by Assad forces.
Ms. Greene’s reasoning goes so far beyond reason that it’s hard to know where to respond. She writes, “Russia is the only country legally fighting in Syria, though we (the U.S.) have been illegally bombing for two years, (an act of war)? We shouldn’t demonize all things Russia” — on and on Ms. Greene goes. Whoa, maybe we need to stick her over in Aleppo and see how she feels then. Russia’s “legal” bombing may change her thoughts about the “caring” Assad family and his regime, as well as his “legal” Russian support.
It seems she went hook, line and sinker for the interview with the Assads and what they had to say.
Nancy Parker Hanover
The Case for Gary Johnson
One candidate stands out from the rest. I’ll start with the competitors: Hillary Clinton is a deceitful, power-hungry politician who has supported every U.S. military intervention in the past 25 years — yet she’s seen as someone with solid foreign policy judgment. Her chief(only?) accomplishment as secretary of state, Libya, has been proven to have worsened the situation. Obama stated that listening to her recommendation was his worst mistake as president.
She’s handled the most sensitive communications with, at best, gross negligence and fundamental technological ignorance. I could go on. Donald Trump is a racist, sexist, arrogant, disrespectful narcissist. He evokes the image of Benito Mussolini; the fact that he’s gotten this far is a symptom of a much larger issue. He’s dishonest too, and possibly greater than Clinton in his dangerous desire for total control. Jill Stein is dangerously anti-science (GMOs, vaccines, nuclear power), and she pushes expansions in social programs the likes of which have never been seen — without a plan to fund them (sorry, but, “making the rich pay their fair share” is not a plan). None of these people could possibly be called fit to be the leader of the world.
Gary Johnson can. For those of you who doubt his foreign policy acumen, note that Johnson is supported significantly more than Clinton by our nation’s military personnel, and nearly ties Trump for the lead. Most importantly, he would default to non-intervention, rather than continuing America’s recent history of being world police.
The greatest threat the country faces is the ever-increasing national debt. Clinton, Trump and Stein would make it worse. Having a balanced budget, and stopping debt growth, is necessary ASAP. Johnson is the only person who would do this. He’s not perfect, but he is principled, honest, reasonable and a fundamentally good person. That’s something neither of the major candidates can say. He has the endorsement of multiple major newspapers, like the Chicago Tribune. He supports individual rights and choices, free trade, immigration, small government, transparency and accountability, and will honor our Constitution. The choice is clear.
Daniel WortsCanaan
A message for Donald Trump: When you lose the election on Nov. 8, to a girl, no less, it will be huge! Believe me!
Dana SeguinLebanon
October is breast cancer awareness month.
Some women with breast cancer have to have their breasts removed to live (I did not).
I am a breast cancer survivor. I am upset that Donald Trump needs to judge every woman by her body. We women have much more to contribute than our bodies. I will not vote for Donald Trump.
Nola DunnWindsor