I was saddened to learn from Matthew D. Longtin’s recent letter (“Loving Electric,” August 3) that people in Europe are now using electric bicycles for commuting instead of pedal power as they have done for decades. That is a step back for the environment because of the environmental damage from mining and processing the metals needed for batteries, as well as increasing the demand for electrical power. Of course, Longtin didn’t cite the good of our ecosystem in the letter.
There are no major hills between downtown and the Gilham Road area, so electrical assistance should not be necessary for his commute. Pedaling a bike might take longer, but the exercise would be beneficial to his health. He likes his bike because it is trendy, and it is fun to cruise on the riverside bike paths on warm summer evenings. It must be a thrill to ride his motorbike like he stole it, but non-motorized pedestrian paths are not the place for that. I wonder if he will keep up his commute when the rainy season comes.
I think that the ban on motorized traffic on paths created for foot traffic and pedal power should be reinstated. If people want electric bikes, they can get real electric motorcycles that are made to share the road with the other motorized traffic.
Steven C. Hiatt
Eugene
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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