Letters to the Editor

News Virginian
Published: July 11, 2007

Trees not the answer to carbon dioxide

The Monday article ("Trying to offset the effects of carbon dioxide," May 28) on offsetting carbon dioxide with trees was somewhat balanced, but I always apply arithmetic.

It's true that a young, growing forest absorbs carbon dioxide, but only until maturity - about 75 years in the Appalachian region. From then on it's about zero sum total as trees die and rot, burn, are eaten by insects, etc. The best scenario is to clear-cut mature forests, convert the wood into forest products and let the new trees grow. During the life of a tree, the leaf fall might be more or less than the weight of the tree and its root system contributing to the release of carbon dioxide.

It'll take a lot of trees to offset a large coal-burning power plant producing 30,000 to 40,000 tons of carbon dioxide per day. I've planted more than 100,000 trees, about 800 per acre. The Greenies are talking 400 trees to offset an automobile. It doesn't compute and there are better ways to accomplish the desired results. The easiest is conservation of energy and the next best is nuclear energy.

Trees are great, but not for reducing carbon dioxide.

Corbin Dixon

Waynesboro

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Joe Biden is a sincere and caring person

Because of the enclosed copy of a letter I sent to your newspaper, I received a letter from woman I had never met. She formerly lived in Sioux City, Iowa, for 40 years and now lives in West Virginia, where she read my letter in a local newspaper. In response, she wrote me a very nice letter about her friendship with my brother, Jack, and family.

Having gotten her permission, I would like to share with you her final two paragraphs:

I've never met a man that inspired me as much as Joe Biden.

We attended Jack's funeral. It was very difficult to describe just how much it meant when he came to the funeral. He wasn't looking for media attention. He just wanted to be there for Jack and the O'Brien family. But his presence meant so much to so many of us. It demonstrated to us what a truly sincere, caring person he was.

I've carried those feelings for Joe Biden with me for over twenty years. I know he'd make the finest president our country has ever known. When I've observed the 'missteps' he's made, it has pained me but I still have great hopes, as I know he would lead this country in the right direction.

Thank you for writing such a fine letter.

As you can see, it's a wonderful corroboration of my belief in Joe Biden.

Patricia O'Brien-Aiken

Maryland