Thank you for coming to Lopez to hear our community’s concerns about Growlers. I live in Lopez Village and see Growlers flying overhead and often hear them.

I’d like to preface my question with mention of other dimensions of the Growlers that concern me strongly.

One EA-18G Growler burns over 1,300 gallons of jet fuel per hour (this and other relevant stats with references are available at http://tiny.cc/growler). That’s the same amount of carbon emission as about 650 average US cars driving simultaneously for an hour, or emissions equivalent to driving a Prius round-trip 13 times from Anacortes to New York City.

The cost (operational and levelized capex) of a Growler is over $31,000 per hour. Lopez Island Public School this past year had a budget shortfall of $130,000 last year and as a result had to lay off three teachers — which led to the loss of the school’s entire technology program. $130,000 is about four hours of Growler flight time.

I’m no military strategist, but it doesn’t take a genius to notice that US military tactics that rely heavily on airstrikes kills civilians and fuels recruitment of young angry men who have legitimate grievances against the U.S., and thereby empower ISIS, Isil, Al Qaeda, Korshan, etc.

As a tax payer, and as a parent who hopes with all my heart that my children will not grow up in a world irreversibly compromised by war and climate change – can you tell me about what “morality” on this issue means to you, in light of your stance on diplomacy, on climate change legislation and your support of education?

Can you imagine taking a strong stance as an elected official politician to end the kind of shock and awe military policies and military influence in US government that drive the demand for so many Growlers in the first place?

Kind regards,

Chris Greacen

Lopez Island