Keeping it clean’s worth the cost

Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s I lived on the east side of Seattle. Every summer my mother would sign up my sisters and me for swimming lessons.These classes were either in the cold waters of Lake Washington or Sammamish during the equally cold, rainy month of June.

January 27, 2012 9:00 am

Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s I lived on the east side of Seattle. Every summer my mother would sign up my sisters and me for swimming lessons.These classes were either in the cold waters of Lake Washington or Sammamish during the equally cold, rainy month of June. The classes were often canceled when the beaches were closed due to pollution.

Today that just doesn’t happen, septic tanks and runoff are regulated, not just in King County but around the Sound. Yet, some here on Whidbey would like to go back to the good old days, when water and air pollution were allowed. It is a small price to pay to make sure the waters on and surrounding Whidbey are as clean as possible. After all, we are the people who live here and this is why tourists (and their dollars) come to this beautiful Island.

Kurt Jaehning

Oak Harbor