More affordable housing needed

Development of the Washington Building is a great idea — Salisbury needs more housing. However, developing high rent housing is not a good idea. What is needed is reasonable affordable housing. Studio, one and two bedroom apartments would be the answer. There is demand for this kind of housing from students who graduate from one of our colleges and want to stay in Salisbury; people who are downsizing and looking for an alternative to owning a home; veterans in need of housing near the medical center; people who are on their way to making a stable life and need housing, just to name a few. People cannot settle here and help grow our community if they can’t find appropriate housing.

The proposed downtown park where the old bank building sits empty is a great idea. Having a green space right in town would be very desirable. I would hope that the plan execution would use Rowan County contractors only. Make an investment in local talent from demolition to architectural vision, to construction and landscaping. This would be very meaningful and highlight the talent in our town.

Spend development dollars in Salisbury thereby supporting our local people.

— M.T. Sidoli

Salisbury

An Earth Day diet

As thousands across the U.S. get ready to protest environmental budget cuts, each of us can also help with our driving, our recycling, and our diet.

Yes, our diet. A 2010 United Nations report blames animal agriculture for 70 percent of global freshwater use, 38 percent of land use, and 19 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbon dioxide is emitted by burning forests to create animal pastures and by fossil fuel combustion to operate farm machinery, trucks, factory farms, and slaughterhouses. The more damaging methane and nitrous oxide are released from digestive tracts of cattle and from animal waste cesspools, respectively.

Moreover, meat and dairy production dumps more animal waste, crop debris, fertilizers, pesticides, and other pollutants into our waterways than all other human activities combined. It is the driving force in wildlife habitat destruction.

In an environmentally sustainable world, meat and dairy products in our diet must be replaced by vegetables, fruits, and grains, just as fossil fuels are replaced by wind, solar, and other pollution-free energy sources.

On this Earth Day and every day, let’s cherish our environment with eco-friendly plant-based eating. Our next trip to the supermarket is a great starting point.

— Shane Papadopolous

Salisbury