Marin IJ Readers Forum for October 1, 2021 – Marin Independent Journal

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The housing authority deserves real credit

Everyone will agree that this is an unprecedented period. “A Precedent†goes even further when we recognize and appreciate the incredible partnerships that have formed in this county to house many of our most vulnerable chronically homeless individuals and families. Without the leadership and collaboration of the Marin Housing Authority, this simply would not have happened.

As the Executive Director of Homeward Bound of Marin, I am writing to support Lewis Jordan’s letter posted September 24. All nonprofit community partners (Homeward Bound, Ritter Center, St. Vincent’s, Downtown Streets Team, Veterans Administration and others), in addition to Marin County leaders, deserve recognition for forging a viable coordinated entry process that accommodated so many people.

Over the past year, we have seen an unprecedented number of homeless people leaving our housing programs for housing: a 29% increase in the number of single adults moving into subsidized housing (63 people over the past year). fiscal year 2021 against 49 people in 2020) and an incredible 229 people% increase in families with children moving into social housing (56 people in 2021 against 17 people in 2020). These are truly life changing results.

So many children will now grow up in a stable housing environment, rather than switching between couch-surfing, living in cars and homeless shelters while their parents try to rebuild their lives. From now on, they will have their own rooms to develop, learn, dream and flourish.

Kudos, in particular, to the Marin Housing Authority home locator team for their wise and stellar work with local landlords and for their advocacy on behalf of those who need the supportive efforts of the whole community to find a home. at home.

– Mary Kay Sweeney, Executive Director of Homeward Bound of Marin

Don’t push the Fairfax restaurant for a pottery shop

Mana Bowls, our local acai bowl store, is under threat from Element 7, a large cannabis dispensary chain seeking to take over Mana Bowls ownership to open a new franchise (“Fairfax cannabis store plan sparks local resistance », September 28).

Here’s why we can’t let that happen: Mana Bowls is a Fairfax family business as authentic as you can see it these days. The owner almost exclusively employs local high school students, which a cannabis dispensary would not be able to do.

Mana Bowls makes great food. He employs, nourishes and teaches our young people. The proposed venture may make more money, but it will most likely result in more cannabis use among this same population of young people. No matter how many precautions the cannabis company may take, it’s impossible not to believe their products won’t end up in the hands of our students at Archie Williams High School and White Hill High School.

Our students need to apply for their first job, or eat healthy food and help spread the message of well-being and inclusion. Please join me in supporting this local business by allowing it to continue contributing to our community. Email your council members, make signs and show that you don’t want extra marijuana in the hands of our youth.

– Tivon Williams, Fairfax

Fight climate change, protect the boreal forest

With fires raging across the state, it’s impossible to ignore the impacts of climate change. Unless you’re a multinational corporation with a net worth of $ 230 billion, profiting from activities that accelerate climate change.

Procter and Gamble Co., maker of Charmin, Bounty and Puffs, recently pledged to cut carbon emissions by 2040. Kudos to P&G for effective greenwashing, but their timeline is too slow and ignores their responsibility to make achievable and impactful changes over the next few years. It should stop destroying the boreal forest – the largest intact forest on our planet and the best way to mitigate climate change.

The trees and soil of Canada’s boreal forest contain up to 300 billion tonnes of carbon, nearly double what is stored in all of the world’s recoverable oil reserves combined. However, the boreal forest is being harvested at the rate of 1.5 football fields per minute. Much of the wood is pulped, sold to P&G and processed into paper products. This is happening even though other brands have already started using materials like recycled paper, bamboo, and wheat straw instead of wood.

I opted for paper brands made from post-consumer recycled products. I urge the inhabitants of Le Marin to do the same. Companies like P&G shouldn’t be able to get away with vague and distant climate goals. It’s throwing our future down the toilet.

– Sammy Herdman, Mill Valley

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