This letter has a lot to say about the Monger letter of Feb. 20. First about the pollution of our lake: What about the tons and tons of salt that is spread on the roads, then the streams, then the lake. Take some salt and put it in a glass of water. What do you get? Slimy, nasty water. What about the laundry detergent with phosphorus. Also, what about the cars that are rusted out because of the salt? When you wash it or it rains the salt, rust and oil that the rust caused — guess where that goes? In the streams to the lake.
Now, why are people (mostly young) leaving Vermont? Nobody has ever mentioned IBM. When IBM left Vermont it took thousands of jobs with it. Lots of people depended on them for a job at IBM like their parents and grandparents did. Also, IBM was years ahead on recycling. They tested water that went into the river, shut out lights that they didn’t use, plus recycled tons of paper. They didn’t use tons of salt on their property. I know. I worked there on the cleaning crew when I was young.
In Lincoln our store uses paper bags (not plastic) Also, they do not put food scraps in the trash. We have been collecting food scraps at the landfill for a few years now. Also, Moore Rubbish and Recycling does a good job for us keeping things on track. Our road crew does a good job using less salt and more sand.
I would like to know whose idea it is to start salting as soon as you see a flake of snow. If you see snow don’t just go so fast (slow down). I remember when towns and the state used to use a lot of sand. What changed that policy? Is sand more expensive than salt?
Whitey Mayo
Lincoln