Letters to the Editor

The Interface, Aug. 29:  “Finding Oscar”

Losing Oscar

Ironic that the environment ag program at SFCC chose to name a fish who is not seen as an individual. Fishes are intelligent beings who, in the wild, have rich social/emotional lives and language. I have seen how these individuals are used in the farming program at SFCC and it is not a life any of the fish would choose if given a choice. The title of the article "Finding Oscar" is a take on the movie Finding Nemo. The film's message was about letting sea animals be free in their own environment. Sadly, the sale of captive clownfish skyrocketed after that film's success. The arrogance of humans who do not see other species as anything other than property is much of what got us into the environmental crisis we face today.

Rae Sikora
Santa Fe

News, August 1:  “Salad Days”

Love your market

Thank you for your insightful article about the Santa Fe Farmers Market. For the past 18 years, this market has been my grocery store. The market can not survive without consistent, weekly local support. Its products cost the same or less than a natural foods store, with a fraction of the carbon footprint. If the government didn't subsidize commercial farming and livestock cultivation with our tax dollars, the prices at conventional grocery stores would rival those of organic purveyors.

This means that every time we purchase conventional products, we are paying at the counter and paying through our taxes to degrade the environment in many ways: toxic residues from pesticides and chemical fertilizers, fouled waterways, proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, accelerated greenhouse gases, the inhumane treatment of farm animals and a plethora of other ills. Considering the need for food security in our region, the expertise of local growers in navigating climate change, and the tremendous potential of organic soil as a means of carbon catchment, the pleasure of patronizing this vibrant market qualifies as an essential tool for self-preservation.

Nodiah Brent
Santa Fe

Correction

Santa Fe Public Radio (KSFR)'s frequency is 101.1 FM. SFR listed it incorrectly in last week's issue (Music: "Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty," Aug. 29). You can find DJ Badcat's show "Legion of Boom" right there on the dial, every Saturday (or Sunday, as it were) from midnight to 2 am.