Letters: The Greenest Big Companies in America

'The greenest big companies in America'
When corporations understand that they will make fewer profits being "brown" than "green," boardrooms across the country will fairly reek of chlorophyll.
Tracy Leverton, Vienna, Va.

NEWSWEEK's Green Rankings provide a valuable service to consumers, investors, and corporations. They also highlight the need for greater corporate disclosure of environmental impacts of interest to the public and to investors. For your next ranking, you should consider broadening the definition of green to include social justice. If a company reduces its carbon emissions, but fails to address sweatshop abuses or human-rights violations, it's not truly green.
Todd Larsen, Corporate Responsibility Director, Green America, Washington, D.C.

For the life of me, I can't figure out what I'm supposed to do with your ranking of green companies. Should I be encouraged to switch from Pepsi (No. 119) to Coke (No. 58)?
Hosea l. Martin, Chicago, Ill.

We regard a green label as the stamp of moral approval. But a closer look at some of the companies listed reveals practices that trouble consumers who care about the humane treatment of all the planet's inhabitants. Surely that's just as important as a recycling program. Tai Moses, Oakland, Calif.

'Play the Race Card'
Thank you, Raina Kelley, for having the courage to write candidly about this subject. Political posturing is obviously at work in the criticism of the president, but pretending racism is also not involved is a fantasy. The fact is that many conservative whites still cannot believe that Americans elected a black man president. And when that president turns out to be skillful—to be more articulate and reasoned than they are, and to achieve more significant successes—their reaction is to howl in rage. White men of substance are not enraged by black men with brains.
Allan Small, Ashburnham, Mass.

It is people like Raina Kelley who keep picking at the scab of racism in this country rather than letting it heal. This article serves no useful purpose other than providing a means for a rant.
Ed Card, Salem, S.C.

'Don't Tweet on Me'
I'm not sure what Twitter Daniel Lyons is using, but it's sure not the same one I am. I do follow a few celebrities, but only those who say interesting things. I mainly use Twitter to let the people I care about know what I'm doing. Some of my messages may be banal, but they're not meant to entertain: they're meant to let others into my life.
Chris Meadows, Springfield, Mo.

I really fail to see the point of Twitter, but respect the fact that others do. That's what is great about all the means of communication available today. Lots of choice, pure and simple. So if it works for you, have at it, and I'll stick with what works for me.
Matthew Allen Wentz, Cary, N.C.

I agree 200 percent that Twitter is totally stupid and a big waste of time. I suppose one can feed that corner of the brain with useless facts and info about things you never wanted to know in the first place and will never refer to again. But it is hard to believe that people do not have better things to do.
Jerry Dettman, Milwaukee, Wis.

© 2009