Submit Testimony

Basic Guidelines for Writing Emails or Letters to Public Officials

1. Be polite
2. Keep it short
3. If there is something you can genuinely thank or acknowledge the official for, say so at the beginning.
4. Name the issue/bill/resolution you are writing about.
5. State your position and your reasons succinctly and clearly.
6. Close with a clear ask and a sincere thank you.
7. The more you can express your concerns in your own words the better, but it is also fine to copy words that say what you want to say. Every communication counts!

SAMPLE LETTER (Long Version)

Dear Mayor Kawakami and Councilmembers:

I am very concerned about the solid waste crisis on Kaua’i and the fact that some of Kauaʻi’s leaders are looking at incineration or Waste to Energy (WTE) as a solution.

I am opposed to incineration or Waste to Energy (WTE) on Kaua’i. It is not a viable solution for the following reasons:

So far, no study has shown that any form of WTE is financially feasible on Kauaʻi. Previous studies done for Kauaʻi and for other neighbor islands indicate that Kauaʻi Countyʻs population and tax base are too small for any form of WTE which means a huge burden will fall on taxpayers.

Incineration is also environmentally damaging. The burning of municipal waste generates toxic emissions and toxic ash. While emission controls may initially reduce emissions into the atmosphere, those controls will generally deteriorate over time due to aging of the plant and/or the inability of the operators to sustain a high level of maintenance.

Even if WTE or incineration were financially feasible and environmentally sound, it is not a sustainable solution. It will produce greenhouse gasses at a time when all countries, states, local governments, institutions, corporations and individuals need to urgently reduce their production of greenhouse gas emissions.

It is also not sustainable because it will perpetuate the linear “take-make-use-throw away-or-burn” pattern of a throwaway society, which is unsustainable. It will make Kaua’i eternally dependent on a robust municipal waste stream and, as such, will discourage the circular strategies of reduce, re-use, recycle, repair and compost.
Please reject incineration and WTE strategies and support sustainable and cost-effective solutions such as curbside recycling, municipal composting, and construction and demolition recycling.

Thank you for your consideration. I would appreciate a response.

Sincerely,

Your name

SAMPLE LETTER (Short Version)

Dear Mayor Kawakami and Councilmembers:

I am very concerned about the solid waste crisis on Kaua’i and the fact that some of Kauaʻi’s leaders are looking at incineration or Waste to Energy (WTE) as a solution.

I am opposed to incineration or Waste to Energy (WTE) on Kaua’i. It is not a viable solution for the following reasons:

So far, no study has shown that any form of WTE is financially feasible on Kauaʻi, which means it will burden generations of Kauaʻi taxpayers.

Incineration is also environmentally damaging. The burning of municipal waste generates toxic emissions and toxic ash.

Finally, incineration is not a sustainable solution. It will produce greenhouse gasses (GHGs) at a time when Kaua’i County needs to be urgently reducing it’s GHG emissions.

It will also perpetuate the linear “take-make-use-throw away-or-burn” pattern of a throwaway society, which is unsustainable. It will make Kaua’i eternally dependent on a robust municipal waste stream and, as such, will discourage the circular strategies of reduce, re-use, recycle, repair and compost.

Please reject incineration and WTE strategies and support sustainable and cost-effective solutions such as curbside recycling, municipal composting and construction and demolition recycling.

Thank you for your consideration. I would appreciate a response.

Sincerely,

Your name