Clean Air

* Re “Breathing Can Be Hazardous to Your Health,” Jan. 10.

Thank you for alerting the public regarding the toxic air emissions in Ventura County. Please follow up with a feature story about what we can all do to help solve the problem.

While it is heartening that some businesses are making clean-up efforts, we should and can be doing more. As individuals we can stop buying clothes that require dry-cleaning. We can buy electric and hybrid cars instead of gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicles. We can use bio-safe products in our homes and gardens. We can support local organic growers and we can boycott companies that are the worst offenders.

This article states that “the chemicals are essential to the county’s $1-billion agriculture industry.” Hogwash. We farmed successfully for hundreds of years without chemicals. The chemicals are only essential for maintaining the high profits of agribusiness chief executives at the expense of the health to fieldworkers, neighbors and consumers.

LAURIE HOPE

Ojai