Trash: The Street Fair
Sadly, in spite of its public relations hype, the city of Encinitas is far from earth friendly.
Ironically, and despite all the glaring information we have about greenhouse gas emissions, overconsumption of resources, acidification of our oceans and the destructive behavior of humans on our small planet, the city’s Spring Street Fair happened on not one but two days following Earth Day.
What a contrast. Inviting people into the area to clog our streets with emissions, to vend non-sustainable consumer items from foreign countries, and to conveniently leave behind their one-time use, polystyrene foodware, filling our lives, garbage cans, streets and beaches with stuff we don’t need. For what benefit? For whom? The Street Fair is not for the residents of Encinitas nor does it benefit our environment.
It is obvious that Earth Day, which should be everyday, is only given lip service here.
When did it happen that coming to Encinitas for the simple pleasure of communing with the ocean failed to be enough? We need to re-think what we invite into our community, how we take care of our precious earth, and how we choose to entertain passers by.
Christine Wagner,
Encinitas
RE: Kook statue
I can respect Pat Steele’s opinion that the Kook deserves respect. That being said, the reminder here is that before the Kook was “creatively” decorated, it was dressed up, ballooned and signed by the local community. Then came the Shark, Jurassic Era (which was beautifully elaborate), yet that was few and far between.
The “creative” decorating wasn’t done enough to warrant the calendar that was made, as anyone who owned one could attest to, there were some stretches.
And make no mistake, what is cool about the Kook is the decorating, professional or not.
Please don’t be disparaging about locals bringing this symbol into our celebrations, after all, what really makes the Kook cool is that the locals have made him part of their lives.
Dede Sumner,
Encinitas
