Rewarding companies that commit to ESG standards is very much the American way | Opinion
ESG
Rep. Barbara Ehardt continues to propose bad legislation. She recently claimed while introducing two bills that using investment standards of ESG — environmental, social and corporate governance — is “truly antithetical to our American way of life, it is antithetical to a free market economy.” What a load of nonsense.
We don’t have, and never had a free market economy. A true free market assumes perfect information among all parties, and perfect mobility of resources and choices, none of which exist. Her proposed legislation is a front for corporations to pursue short-term profits while transferring long-term costs to the state and others.
Rewarding companies that make a commitment to ESG standards is very much the American way to use funding to promote the safety and health of the general public, and to support causes that are in the public’s interest.
The lack of ESG standards is why we have Superfund sites in Idaho and elsewhere. Instead of preventing the State from doing business with companies based on ESG investment and credit ratings, we should be encouraging companies to adopt standards of environmental stewardship and sustainability, while providing good wages and fair working conditions that build strong communities.
Jim Wanek, Boise
Daylight saving time
Please stop whining about daylight saving time! It’s the two articles twice a year. Here is a tip: perhaps skip hot yoga, Starbucks and cut back on social media for an hour.
Get more sleep!
Greg Stock, Meridian
Education
We are obligated as a society to educate all of the children with a quality education. I am retired and continue to pay my taxes to achieve that end. It’s a large part of my yearly property taxes that support these children. My child attended public schools where he learned to love books and reading, learned mathematics, learned to play an instrument and learned to engage in a variety of sports. I have no doubt that children receive a great education in the private as well as homeschools. It is nice that they have that choice, but I do not choose to support those schools with my tax money. Vouchers take money away from kids whose parents cannot afford private school, and shifts it to people who can already afford to send their children to private school or who already homeschool their kids. I don’t ask for any money back because I no longer have children in school. I continue to pay those taxes because I know that those taxes benefit the whole society. If we start piecing out our taxes for projects we like rather than those that benefit the whole, we cease being a society.
Patti Marshall, Boise
Wind farm
The proposed 1000 megawatt Lava Ridge Wind Farm on BLM land would be that land’s best chance to meet the present and future needs of the American people. Our climate is in crisis already. The cause: fossil fuel emissions. The solution: a switch to renewable energy. The urgency: it’s almost too late.
John Arkoosh’s recent guest opinion argues that the proposed wind farm offers no help for the environment and that, instead, we should build a nuclear plant. Wind power is far cheaper, far faster to build and has far fewer risks than nuclear (at least until the new modular plants have demonstrated their safety.) Plus, Lava Ridge is very close to the Gateway West high voltage transmission line that will take the power to where it is needed.
Arkoosh agrees we should manage our public lands so that “they are utilized in the combination that will best meet the present and future needs of the American people”. If concern about the climate’s impact on the American people is considered, there is no doubt that Lava Ridge should be approved. PS: 1000 megawatts is more than enough for replacing the four lower Snake River dams to help save the salmon.
Don Kemper, Boise