The city of Madison is shown after heavy rain caused flooding in the city on Thursday morning. (Photo: Troy Keyes / Submitted)

Record floods will continue unless we stop climate change

This week the Big Sioux River broke record-breaking flood levels - which were just broke during our March floods. So we’ve had two record-breaking floods in one year. Good thing that won’t happen again. Except it likely will.

Climate change projections indicate the Midwest will experience more intense and more frequent extreme precipitation and flooding events. This means these types of disasters could become a new norm for us unless we act now to stop climate change.

How do we do this? The most effective, simplest way is to put a steadily rising fee on the fossil fuels that are causing climate change. The collected fee is returned to households to help families cope with rising costs of goods as fuel costs increase.

In the meantime, renewables and innovation become more attractive because businesses and energy companies realize fossil fuels will be getting more and more expensive. We’ll shift away from fossil fuels to renewables and drastically lower our carbon emissions. Luckily, there’s already legislation that would put this into place.

The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act has been introduced in the House of Representatives. This policy will reduce America’s emissions by at least 40% in the first 12 years. Plus, it will create 2.1 million new jobs, thanks to economic growth in local communities across America. We need our congressional representatives to support this legislation.

It is a win for South Dakotans because of our incredible capacity for renewables in the state, and it will help protect our futures from more frequent natural disasters.

Holly Meier, Brandon

Thanks to City

Today I had the blessing of the City of Sioux Falls employees going the extra mile in helping residents working together to clean up some of the devastation. I thank our God for them, and want to give them a public pat on the back/affirmation, as well as a 'Thank You!"

Joe Dalton, Sioux Falls

Hemp is not weed

No one in this modern times should not be aware of how you can tell hemp from recreational marijuana. They are both from the cannabis family. Hemp is grown in farmers' fields and baled. Marijuana is grown in protective greenhouses and put in plastic sandwich bags. So now you know the difference in appearance.

If hemp is being grown in your neighborhood and comes into contact with marijuana, it causes the marijuana plant to change to hemp, so hemp production is a great policing effect against marijuana.

Finally, if you are listening to the news, you know that that hemp is legal at the federal level now and last week DEA has relaxed restrictions to allow for medical research in even medical marijuana. The DEA restrictions on hemp was simply a mistake as it is useful in creating clothing that is easily degradable and friendly to the environment, can be used in house building material which means less usage of our forests, and grows almost in any soil without the usual chemicals and fertilizer needed for commercial crops; hence, hemp is a beneficial crop for society and its environment and a money-making crop for farmers. It has low THC, the chemical wanted in recreational marijuana, which is different than both hemp and medical marijuana.

China makes hemp which we import. Let us stand up for our farmers, let them grow hemp, and let us buy local hemp which supports local economy and a lower green ecological footprint. With hemp production in South Dakota, we can then have new companies making building supplies and cloth from hemp as well as rope. Also, having clothes available made from cotton, hemp, and wool is something we can do for our children instead of dressing them in plastic everyday.

Why should China be allowed to sell hemp to the USA when our own farmers are denied growing this easy to produce crop? Governor needs to be as educated or more than it's citizens to be able to lead. We need need a governor willing to learn and look out for our citizens' interests, not lobbyists.

Tina Barnes, Yankton

Beware 5G

The city of Brussels, Belgium has put 5G installation on hold "in case it is frying our collective noggins, one headline read. One does not have to watch very many YouTube videos to recognize the potential health dangers installation of 5G would cause when added to all the radiation our bodies are already subjected to.

Saying 5G would be a big boost to Sioux Falls economy is exactly correct, except it would only be to the healthcare industry. I live 110 miles from Sioux Falls so it won't get me, but I am extremely concerned for my children and grandchildren. Thyroid, brain and future reproductive problems are only a couple of potential hazards it may cause. I have my doubts your mayor or John Thune will look out for the residents of Sioux Falls.

You are going to have to inform yourselves and take the needed action to protect the future of your children's health. The price you pay just to do something faster could be devastating.

Calvin Ratzlaff, Avon