Saratoga News

Letters & Opinions

Speak Out

McGhee, Starbucks
doing a service
with cleanups

Many thanks to Andrea McGhee for stepping up and doing something about a problem which impacts all of us ("McGhee's cleaning up in Saratoga--'litter-ally," Aug. 21). Her activism remands me of the time many years ago when Kay Duffy, Saratoga's "original" environmental activist, and her scout troops were out doing roadside cleanups. Where have the activists and civic groups gone?

I was pleased to read in the article that the Starbucks corporation agreed to participate.

Here is the full disclosure: I am a card-carrying customer of Starbucks worldwide and I sat on the planning commission, which approved Starbucks' use permit at Argonaut Center.

During one of the public hearings on Starbucks' application, I distinctly remember questioning its district manager about the lack of cleanliness, which I had observed both inside and around their properties. I was assured that employees would make regular pick-up trips around the outside of the store. And I recall that this commitment was included in the use permit.

Fault for litter is not Starbucks or any other company. It is the responsibility of the customers to act like mature, thoughtful people.

It would help, of course, if receptacles were available, and for this I fault the shopping center for not providing sufficient trash collection baskets and for not emptying them promptly. Many a Sunday morning I have gone to Argonaut and found litter and garbage piled up in the barrels and all over the sidewalk. I sent an e-mail to city hall and heard nothing.

So let's all pitch in.

Marcia O. Kaplan

Sevilla Lane

Saratoga could
learn to be more
bicycle-friendly

I was disappointed and quite frankly appalled by the comment attributed to chairwoman Brigette Ballingall that she thinks cycling is "an idiotic sport to do on the road" and that "it's just insane" ("Commission checks safety of bike lanes," Aug. 15).

I happen to be one of those idiotic people who ride a bike along with hundreds of others in Saratoga. We are looking for a commission that is willing to take action to see that measures are taken to ensure the safety of those of us who ride bikes.

Young people and older people ride bikes for more reasons than just sport. It is exercise, it is utility and it is a way of reducing one's carbon footprint. Instead of firing up my SUV to go to the store, I trot out my trusty bike to get me there in the same amount of time without fouling the air we breathe.

Cyclists have rights on the road, as do motorists. I would hope that Ms. Ballingall reconsiders her position on bikes on the road. Saratoga needs to become a bike-friendly town like most of the cities on the peninsula.

Ray Cosyn

River Ranch Circle