Published: Monday, June 10, 2002 Open space   On May 31, Thomas Sowell, in his column "Priceless politics," criticized Sen. Barbara Boxer and Sen. Dianne Feinstein for trying to save some of California's open space and wetlands from development. He contends that keeping that land from being developed will raise the cost of housing, and that "they (renters) will be paying for the ego trips of other people who preen themselves over diverting of land from housing to open space and wetlands. This statement shows both a lack of understanding of why people want to save what little open space and wetlands we have left - and a dismal lack of understanding of the value of such land for all of us. Yes, our rapidly dwindling open space and wetlands provide necessary habitat for the "swamp animals" there, and they are important for aesthetic reasons and ecotourism, but even more importantly they are vital to our source of fresh drinking water - a commodity that is becoming more precious every day. Just as our forests are the "lungs" of our earth, providing the oxygen we breathe, wetlands and open space are the "kidneys' of our earth. They collect, filter and store our fresh water that is so vital to life. If Mr. Sowell is so concerned about the price of housing, he should attack the real problem - overpopulation. We should all be very grateful to Sen. Boxer and Sen. Feinstein for trying to save what little open space we have left. Ann Dennison Long Beach