Kalamunda fast food concerns
Dear Echo News,

In reference to a proposed fast food and car wash at Kalamunda (Echo News, Letters January 24).

I agree with residents’ concerns as my wife and I live very close to a fast food outlet, with reasons that the proposed outlet at Kalamunda being rejected by residents being some fast food outlets attract antisocial behaviour.

My wife and I have seen, on a few occasions, trouble makers evicted from the store.

We are also sick and tired of picking up disposed wrappings from our verge from people that have made purchases from the fast food outlet.

F Cherry
South Lake

Dockers support not Woodside
Dear Echo News,

As a Fremantle Dockers supporter from day one, I express my disgust at having the Woodside logo on the jumpers.

We don’t want the support of, nor to be seen to be supporting, the likes of massive polluters like Woodside.

Nor can we support a plain-clothed policeman in an unmarked car pulling a gun on a peaceful protest against Woodside.

The use of fossil fuels must end now and companies like Woodside should be held financially accountable for the damages of massive floods and major weather events such as two “once in a lifetime” floods in Queensland in six years, and raging bushfires elsewhere, by paying to compensate victims of their neglect.

P Carman
Hovea

Crypto and climate change
Dear Echo News,

I write regarding the link between cryptocurrency and climate change.

Recent discussions about various AI systems have not touched upon how this could contribute to climate change.
It is not widely understood that AI requires huge amounts of power and water.

The first law of thermodynamics (conservation of energy) says that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but merely changed.

So, every watt of energy a non-renewable generator releases will find its way into the environment, whether it be from the cooling tower belching steam or the rivers and streams used to cool the plants or domestic and commercial use.

A recent ABC news item (January 28) reported: “Previous studies have focused on AI's energy usage and generating an image takes about as much energy as fully charging your phone, while water usage shows a 50-question ChatGPT conversation may use about half a litre.”

Scientific American Magazine reported: “Technology giants like Microsoft have announced billion-dollar plans to build data centres around the country. In some cases, they’ve inked deals to power the facilities with nuclear and low-carbon energy.”

Another article states “1.5 million servers would consume at least 85.4 terawatt-hours of electricity annually—more than what many small countries use in a year.”

Further, similar amounts of energy are used in mining cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.

Just as worrisome, creating these digital resources guzzles energy at a prodigious rate, contributing to climate change.

KG Blake
Lesmurdie

Ongoing water problems
Dear Echo News,

Just read your article about low water pressure in Chidlow, Water Corp responds to Chidlow complaints (Echo News, February 7).

I wish to make you aware of the problems with water and water pressure we have been experiencing over probably 30 years.

I have approached three ministers now and also the ombudsman still to no avail.

We have experienced in some periods bursts on the main with regular occurrence.

In some bad periods it has burst every couple of weeks over a 12-month period, with one neighbour recording over 70 bursts with outages lasting a few days.

Water Corp, against our advice installed a pressure reduction valve on the pipeline which has resulted in some residents getting no water at all when the pumps at Chidlow aren’t operating.

To add insult to injury, Water Corp behind our backs as no one was consulted, started putting customers on service agreements or non-standard water service agreements negating their responsibility to provide a consistent service at a reasonable pressure, urging customers to install their own water tanks and pressure pump and water purification system for water supply of two days.

This struck a chord when I read your article about Chidlow residents.

D Barker
Wooroloo

Christine clarifies
Dear Echo News,

Regarding the letter Midland Station is Hopeless (C Hughes, Echo News, February 7).

I am delighted to agree with every sentiment expressed by C Hughes on this occasion, but not on all topics this frequent contributor commentates on.

I too am tagged with the name C Hughes, and from time-to-time ownership of the views are wrongly attributed to me.

So, to make sure I don’t get into too much hot water, I would be grateful if the Echo News could publish the first name of this contributor when noting authorship.

Many thanks for your understanding.

Christine Hughes
Woodbridge