LETTERS

I was delighted that my letter a fortnight ago (GBW, 24/3) was responded to by Andy Clark (GBW, 31/3). The subject of carbon neutral emissions and the Government's Zero Carbon Act will be our biggest debate in any future contribution towards a recovering healthy planet.

May I draw Andy's attention to the writings of Bryan Leyland, and suggest he Googles his arguments and statements on carbon neutral policies.

To pursue a carbon neutral policy will only increase the cost of living in New Zealand, higher electricity prices, and serious damage to efficient and productive industries. Mr Clark points out that wind and solar power are not economic producers of power (read his reasoning). That is the sad truth. The most sustainable, and least atmospheric polluter, is nuclear fission.

Another sad truth is that, if every animal and human being disappeared from our islands tomorrow, it would have no impact, nor would it reduce atmospheric polluting emissions in the Southern Hemisphere.

The world's current population, and its contribution to climate change, may already have passed the tipping point (note the world population growth from two billion in 1913 to eight billion today – a period of less than 100 years).

Re-visit this in 40 years for those who are able!

[Abridged]

Reg Turner

Too late to mitigate climate change: adapt or die

Andy Clark (GBW, 31/3) wants Reg Turner to become "a shining example of a community leader in living a low carbon lifestyle". Really? What is he to do? Apart from discouraging carbon spewing tourists from coming to New Zealand not a heck of a lot. Yes, we all have to do our little bit but so does the rest of the seven billion or so souls on the globe. Change is not happening fast enough. It is not in the interest of world leaders to get seriously tough on climate change so there is much rhetoric but not action. Even oil exploration is continuing. Add the impending global financial meltdown, the Ukrainian war, global famine, then dealing with climate change won't be top of the list. Hungry people don't think about climate change.

So Andy, whatever you or the world has in mind the end of fossil fuels will not happen fast enough to avoid disaster. It is going to happen. Chanting "do something" is so naïve. Instead, prepare for what is to come. Be a survivor. Assess your risks to flood, sea rise, fire, etc. But most won't and will just stand in the flooded kitchen (again) and continue bleating (Hawkes Bay excepted). That's what we do and we are becoming very good at it. And, yes, keep chanting. We are good at that too.

Gerald Scales

Golden

We would like to thank our community for their support recently.

Thank you Richard and Karen Pringle and Julia Muntwyler for delivering and stacking firewood; thanks to Linda Mason, and to Patrick - you know who you are!

Thanks also to Jed and Simone and the gang at the Roots Bar. Peace and love.

Matt Murphy

and Anne Lynch Making Tākaka motobility friendly

As the owner and user of a mobility scooter I would like to raise some issues in regard to their use around Tākaka. First, some of the footpaths are very rough and make travel quite uncomfortable, and as well some of the crossings (where you must leave the path and cross the road to the next path) are very rough, almost dangerously so. The other point I would raise concerns overhanging vegetation; there is a lot of this – surely the homeowners could remove it and improve the passage for us scooter users, and I guess walkers and mothers with prams. Am I the only one who finds these difficult or would others like to add their comments?

Dianne McKenna

Rectifying mistakes at Rockville Museum

As many of you in the community are now aware, we have a problem at the Rockville Machinery and Early Settlers Museum, of exhibits, either on loan, or donated items, having been sold off.

This is totally against our constitution. The previous committee who made these decisions have been replaced with a new committee.

We are now in the process of trying to compile an inventory of what was sold off at the “Garage Sale”. We would be very interested in hearing from anyone that purchased anything at the time.

We would also like to apologise, wholeheartedly, to anyone that has been caused undue stress with these happenings. We are in the process of trying to rectify what we can, and this is where you, as community can help us. Please contact Pam Gardiner on 021 029 77367, or 525 9409 in the evenings, Kaya Blown on 027 512 6103, or by emailing rockvillemuseum. goldenbay@gmail.com.

Pam Gardiner, president Collingwood Museum Society Inc

Letters To The Editor

The GB Weekly welcomes letters to the editor. Please email your letter to us at admin@gbweekly.co.nz by 12pm Tuesday. Include the writer’s full name, home address and daytime phone number. Letters will be printed over the name of the writer; names are withheld only when compelling reasons can be established. Letters must not exceed 250 words. Letters that are too long will not be considered. All correspondence is at the discretion of the manager, who reserves the right to decline, edit, or abridge letters without explanation or further discussion. Links to third party websites will not be published. The views expressed are those of the correspondents and are not necessarily endorsed or shared by The GB Weekly.

Results

Aggregate Team

1st Tākaka 39ers, 5:51.63 minutes (Kyle Gardiner, Sam Goffriller, Neil Gardiner, Kale Reid, Ethan Harwood).

Open Male

1st Kyle Gardiner, 1:39.35 minutes.

3rd Sam Goffriller, 1:43.64 minutes.

Over 50s Male

2nd Neil Gardiner, 2:29.04 minutes.

Over 60s Male

1st Greg Fellowes, 4:18 minutes.

Open Tandem

1st The Martian Legends, 1:23 minutes (Kyle Gardiner and Sam Goffriller).

3rd Yogi & Boo-boo, 1:42.95 minutes (Kyle Gardiner and Neil Gardiner).

Team Relay

1st Tākaka 39ers 1:27.75 minutes (Neil Gardiner, Kyle Gardiner, Kale Reid, Sam Goffriller and Greg Fellowes).

Nelson based couple Bridget and Roger Sanders are Birdlife Productions Theatre and have performed and toured their children’s puppet shows around New Zealand and Europe. “My passion lies in taking high quality work out to New Zealand children to enrich their lives and inspire the creative artists of the future,” says Bridget.

Using puppetry, songs, storytelling, and exquisite handcrafted sets that magically unfold out of boxes, the awardwinning theatre company promises laughter, tears and thrilling adventure when a young man’s epic journey unites with the miracle of Kuaka/Bar-tailed Godwit migration. In this high-tech fast-paced digital world, The Boy with Wings offers families a counter to screen time that allows space in real-time for children to watch, listen and reflect.

Melded with a real-time ornithological lecture, this is a comic, touching, and environmental story using the ageless wonder of puppetry that dares us all to follow our dreams.

Designed specifically for children aged five to nine years, but loved by all ages!

Friday 14 April, 2pm at the Mussel Inn. Children $5; adults $10. Door sales.

Recycling plastics into free pegs

Food containers are typically manufactured from polypropylene, known in recycling jargon as # 5 plastic. Photo: Supplied.