Kessler should have done his homework on ice plant

Stephen Kessler is a reader as well as a writer!

There are many books available to him – at book stores throughout the county, the public library, the City’s Museum of Natural History, and UCSC’s Norris Center of Natural History.

Would that Stephen had taken time to educate himself on the difference between cultural anthropology – a social science (“politically correct, anti-immigrant sentiment, mass deportation”) and earth sciences (botany, ecology), before penning his May 17 column.

Ice plant reduces biodiversity, creating a monoculture where native insects struggle for survival. Then larger species (birds, mammals) suffer from lack of food. It forms mats blocking the sun and using water and nutrients that natives need to thrive.

Ice plant can actually contribute to erosion. During rains, weight of water retained in leaves can exceed the holding power of ice plant’s shallow roots, causing it to slide down slope dragging top soil with it.

We made a mistake replacing native Monterey Pine and Monterey Cypress along the coast. Both species, restored, will provide habitat for Monarch butterflies.

— Jean Brocklebank, Live Oak

Kessler wrote an ‘asinine’ screed on invasive plants

It is easy to see Steven Kessler’s ignorance in full bloom with his idiotic screed against the removal of invasive plants. Obviously he never studied botany.

Introduction of non-native invasive plant species is problematic for the very same reason that non-native birds are bad. The non-natives become invasive because the checks they may have in their natural ecosystem are absent in the new environment so they take over and crowd out native species. Once established they create a mono-culture that suppresses and even threatens many of the native species.

Maybe he should go out and volunteer in one of the removal projects so he can educate himself on the benefits of native plant diversity and stop making asinine comparisons to immigration laws.

— Cliff Bixler, Bonny Doon

Responding to Cabrillo trustee on name change

The sentiment of the public was reflected in the 2023 Cabrillo College Board of Trustees’ 6-1 vote against changing the name of the college. Public sentiment was against the name change at the time of the vote and remains against it today. Considering that reality, I was very interested to see Trustee Steve Trujillo’s assertion that the name change is “alive and well” (Sentinel Letter, May 18).

At the time of the vote, I reminded readers that it is up to the public to continue to make clear our point of view to the College trustees and administration. I wish to repeat that reminder now. That way, if the absurd and futile name change idea is indeed “alive and well” in one trustee’s mind, it need not spread to any other voting trustee.

— Andy McClymont, enrolled Cabrillo College student, Aptos

WeightWatchers has been a ‘life saver’ for this writer

Megan McArdle, someone who confesses to never having had a weight problem, declares in a May 18 column that WeightWatchers has failed. WeightWatchers’ business model failed, for a variety of reasons, most notably, real estate leases in every market for meetings that could not be held during a national pandemic. But, I see the program’s success in every WeightWatchers meeting I have ever attended.

As a 20-year lifetime member that has maintained my weight loss by maintaining my WeightWatchers lifestyle and monthly weigh-ins, I can definitively state that the program works. WeightWatchers continually evolves its program and principles with the latest in weight-loss science. The program offers community and support through on-line and in person meetings. WeightWatchers promotes safe and effective weight loss through fundamental principles, including cultivating the mind/body connection. Their on-line recipes make healthy meal prep easy.

WeightWatchers is a life saver and I look forward to its continued success.

— Katherine Harasz, Capitola