Lesson plan
I have a suggestion for teachers regarding the reopening of schools. This would be a wonderful teaching opportunity that would involve reading, math and critical thinking skills.
Show the size of a virus next to the size of the openings in the masks. An analogy would be a gnat next to a chain-link fence. Can the chain-link fence keep the gnat from going in and out? Ask if the mask can keep viruses from going in and out of the tiny holes in the fabric of the masks.
Next, show the box that the masks came in. Have the children read the label that indicates that masks will not reduce risk of infection of any kind, and will not prevent transmission of COVID-19.
Ask the students to question why they are being mandated to wear masks, given this information they just learned. See how many possible reasons they can come up with.
For older students, have them refer to the CDC flu statistics published on their website. Discuss how these statistics are created. Compare the mortality statistics for influenza to previous years.
Discuss mathematical models, and how all of the models used thus far to justify the lockdowns have been wrong by wide margins. Given the low mortality and severity of this new variant of influenza, have them discuss the possible real reasons for these draconian measures.
Who funds the CDC Foundation? Who benefits from this “pandemic”?
Show the children how to read scientific abstracts and explain what the gold standard of scientific studies is. Explain bias and how it can negate studies.
Finally, referring to the U.S. Constitution, discuss how many of their rights are being abrogated right now by the lockdowns, quarantines, masks and social distancing. Explain that rights, once given up, are rarely restored.
Vicki Vierra
Keaau
Shocked by ruling
I’ve lived on Hawaii Island all my life, and I am an advocate for energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. For the past 37 years, I’ve worked in the renewable energy field in a variety of renewable energy technologies, including photovoltaic, wind, geothermal, hydro and utility-scale solar with energy storage installations. Our island requires a diversity of technologies to attain 100% clean energy by 2045.
I was shocked by the Public Utility Commission’s decision to revoke Honua Ola’s waiver from competitive bidding they previously granted in order to speed up the development of firm renewable energy for the Hawaii Island grid. Instead of focusing on how to replace existing fossil fuel plants with a continuous renewable energy source, like Honua Ola, the PUC apparently ignored the limitations of solar plus four-hour battery projects.
While these projects certainly have their place in Hawaii’s renewable portfolio, they cannot replace the existing fossil fuel plants. That is exactly what Honua Ola was built to do. If the goal is to stop our dependence on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gases as quickly as possible, we need to replace the existing oil-burning plants with renewable energy facilities, like Honua Ola, that can deliver continuous power 24/7 on demand.
Because Honua Ola was designed to replace existing fossil fuel plants, the PUC should be comparing the cost of Honua Ola’s power to these plants, not other renewables. For example, the Keahole fossil fuel plant costs about 28-30 cents per kilowatt hour, while Honua Ola delivers power at a cost as low as 22 cents per kilowatt hour. Once Honua Ola begins sending more than 21.5 megawatts to the grid, the cost per kilowatt hour begins falling and can go as low as 8 cents per kilowatt hour.
The PUC should reconsider its decision and get Honua Ola online as quickly as possible.
Leonard Tanaka
President and CEO,
T&T Electric Inc., Hilo