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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, December 7, 2012 · 6 Opinion & Letters 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5566 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 905-631-6095 -- 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. The Oakville Beaver THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Canadian Circulation Audit Board Member THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America Canadian Community Newspapers Association ATHENA Award Neil Oliver Vice ­ President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The OakvilleBeaver is a division of David Harvey Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief, Halton Region Daniel Baird Advertising Director ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor Riziero Vertolli Photography Director Sandy Pare Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production Manuel garcia Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Ready for winter With December having arrived this week -- and last Friday's snowy weather under our belt -- it won't be long before the white stuff settles in to become a regular part of our lives for another season. Despite the mild temperatures of early this week, the OPP knows what's coming and is urging motorists to ensure their vehicle is ready for what's to come and reminding drivers to use caution during wintery conditions. Weather specialists are predicting we will be living with Old Man Winter this year, compared to his absence for much of last year's winter. So here's what you should look for to make sure your vehicle is working well: · Keep the fuel tank at least half full · Make sure your vehicle's exhaust is free of holes or leaks · Replace your windshield wipers and put winter washer fluid in the reservoir · Put on winter tires for added traction and stopping ability · Check all running lights to ensure you can see and be seen The No. 1 cause of winter collisions is speed -- people driving too fast for the conditions. Slow down and you'll have a better chance at avoiding, or reacting sufficiently to, weatherrelated problems. If you do become stranded, however, it's recommended you have a few things in your vehicle. They include: · Fully-charged cellphone · `Call police' sign · Fully-charged flashlight · Battery-operated radio · Warm blanket · Tin can and candle to help stay warm · Extra pair of winter boots, hat, gloves · Bottled water or juice · Snacks or nutrition bars These items will help you to survive, as well as stay calm, if you were to become stranded in the snow -- sliding into a ditch, for example -- for a prolonged period of time. Before you head out on the road, be sure to check the weather conditions and give yourself more time to get where you're going. If a severe winter storm is on its way, consider taking that road trip another day. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Letter to the editor Plastic bottle shouldn't have been in cover photo The recent magazine released in October called Healthy Living 2012 is very ironic. The goal of the magazine is clear, to promote healthy living. However, I am confused as to why you would use the image of a lady drinking from a plastic water bottle on the front cover of an Oakville publication promoting health. There have been many studies that prove bottled water is not only bad for your health, but bad for the environment. For example, Bisphenol A has been found in water after being bottled in a plastic container, even in extremely low doses the chemical is linked to cancer, diabetes, reproductive problems, and problematic neurological development. Plastic water bottles require a large quantity of oil to produce (a quarter of the bottle filled with petroleum) and 1.85 gallons of water are needed just to produce the plastic. As well, it could take a plastic bottle up to 1,000 years to decompose, a big contributor to Oakville's ecological footprint. I do not understand why The Oakville Beaver did not put a reusable water bottle on the cover instead. If the image portrayed a reusable water bottle, the full message of healthy living would not have been in question. Furthermore, since 2009, Oakville has created a movement called Blue W, an initiative to promote use of tap water. This program allows citizens to refill their water bottle at local businesses with clean Oakville tap water rather than buying water in plastic bottles at inflated prices (more expensive than the price gasoline). Through participation in the Blue W program, Oakville citizens display that we are well aware of the issues involved in the use of plastic water bottles. For these reasons, I am concerned as to why our town-wide newspaper would promote an image that contradicts both our health and our pocketbook in the Healthy Living magazine. There is nothing healthy about a plastic bottle of water. In school, I am learning that Oakville is striving to be a livable community, I hope that our newspaper will promote healthy lifestyles instead of needless consumption. Nicole Gabura, Grade 12 Abbey Park High School, Oakville Letters to the editor The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Re: New Oakville hospital to be a major emitter in town, Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012, Oakville Beaver Town council needs to be consistent with its decisions. On the one hand, council did not support the building of a gas-fired power facility in Oakville, but it voted to support the pollution-belching building of our new hospital. I found it appalling to read in this paper on Nov. 21 that our new hospital will emit at least "859.25 kilograms of fine particulate matter per year" or triple the acceptable levels before being deemed a major polluter. This amount of pollution is significantly greater than the gas-fired plant proposed and subsequently cancelled. There are two issues with the situation: 1. This is a hospital. It is supposed to be an institution of health and for health. How can our civic leaders and those managing our health institutions agree to a facility that could cause harm to the health of the very citizens it says it wants to help and heal? 2. How, with clear and sane thought, can the elected representatives of the See New page 8 Council needs to be consistent