Letters are posted as we receive them during the week, and before they are printed in the paper, so check back frequently to see new letters. If you'd like to send a letter to the editor, use this postmarks submission form, or email your letter directly to mail@austinchronicle.com. Thanks for your patience.

Dear Editor,
    Austin Sanders very obviously doesn't live in a neighborhood like Montopolis where he listens to gunfire several times a week and isn't old enough to have been the target of a mugging on a Cap Metro bus. He hasn't had the locks on his vehicle punched in and $2K to $3K worth of tools stolen ... twice. Guessing he's young enough; the odds of being a crime victim hasn't caught up with him … yet. You know what they say "Ignorance is bliss" but I'll add "Experience brings wisdom and comes with age." Hope his wisdom happens sooner rather than later without the lesson being too hard on him.

Dear Editor,
    I am pleased to learn that $2.48 million for the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University will be used to create a playbook based on climate change research for the Legislature to use. Providing a publicly available tool that enables regional water planners to incorporate climate impacts into their management plans is an excellent approach to inform policymakers and can help bridge the gap between accurate science and legislation. However despite the new bipartisan Water Caucus and Republican committee chairs' public recognition of future water scarcity, it is unlikely that Texas will undertake much climate change planning in the near future, mainly due to a lack of Republican support.
    Having grown up in Austin, I have personally witnessed the alarming reduction of Highland Lakes levels due to low inflows, increased evaporation, and industry growth in recent years, which has drained the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer. Although solutions such as Austin's Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project may postpone the adverse effects of climate change on our water supply, water scarcity will continue to worsen. Soon, Austin's growing population and industry will not have enough water to sustain themselves. We do not have the time or resources to wait for legislators to realize that climate change is an issue worth addressing. Achieving strong bipartisan support to mitigate climate change is critical. Climate change is already causing significant and potentially irreversible damage. Evidence demonstrates that it is primarily caused by human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. The lack of complete support for climate change mitigation planning in Texas is hindering the urgent progress we should be making.

Dear Editor,
    As someone who is constantly boasting about my spice tolerance, A. Richmond’s article “Hot and Bothered: Austin’s Record-Hot Summer Affects Pepper Harvesting” [Food, Sept. 9, 2022] certainly caught my attention. I think there’s a lot to say about Texas’s relationship with climate change – from winter storms leaving people powerless for days to blistering hot summers which feel worse every year. Additionally, what Richmond’s article points out is how increases in temperature can negatively affect agriculture. This is significant in Texas as agriculture is important to our economy and, as mentioned in the article, we will be seeing an increased number of hotter days.
    Changes in climate requires innovation and changes in farming with methods such as those covered in the article, hydroponics and drip irrigation. I think it's interesting to point out that both of these methods are better at conserving water and are more sustainable options compared to other watering methods. It seems as though this change could be a worthwhile investment for the health of crops in the future and for the environment.
    Additionally, this article has helped me realize that being aware of the connection between the food we eat and climate change can get people more interested and involved. Knowing that the reason Sriracha isn’t on our shelves at the moment is because of global warming may be the push someone needs to drive less or recycle more. And in Texas, that push might be peppers.