Letters: Bay's health is critical to the region's health

"Yet the greatest, most tireless of nature's ecosystems is one we all often overlook, the Bay itself. The Bay is often valued only for its inimitable beauty and recreational opportunities, but its natural shorelines, marshes and wetlands labor every moment of every day to provide us with clean air and water, moderate temperatures, protection from storm surge waves and much more."

"Rich shallow water habitats also nurture life, from fragile hatchlings that sustain our commercial fisheries to the vast abundance of birds and wildlife that call it home. This is all at risk of being lost to sea level rise. We depend on healthy Bay ecosystems to sustain our entire region, so let's invest in keeping them alive to ensure that future generations will thrive alongside them."

"We used to be a democracy: one person, one vote. What's happened to America? What's happened to adherence to the rule of law? What's happened to habeas corpus? What's happened to objective truth? People cannot ignore what's happening and hope everything will be okay. Everyone needs to pay attention, read everything, listen to trusted voices and vote. The America we want depends on it."

San Francisco Bay's natural shorelines, marshes, and wetlands provide continuous ecosystem services such as clean air and water, temperature moderation, and protection from storm surge waves. Rich shallow-water habitats nurture fragile hatchlings that sustain commercial fisheries and support abundant bird and wildlife populations. Sea level rise threatens these ecosystems and risks losing essential regional benefits. Investment is necessary to preserve Bay ecosystems so future generations can thrive alongside them. Aggressive redistricting in Texas endangers electoral integrity and democratic principles, including one person, one vote, rule of law, habeas corpus, and objective truth. Voters must stay informed, listen to trusted voices, and vote. A recent town hall in Portola Valley exposed frustration with Democratic strategy.

Read at The Mercury News