My Account
An inconvenient truth
Thomas Fox, Warkworth
To echo a recent statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, “Climate change is moving faster than we are … we must listen to the Earth’s best scientists”. In downplaying to a triviality the role of livestock methane emissions in anthropogenic climate change, your columnists David Haugh and Bev Trowbridge (MM December 18) are at odds with the Earth’s best scientists. In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its report Global Warming of 1.5°C. The report was authored by 541 leading climate experts, based on the assessment of approximately 6000 recent peer-reviewed publications. One of the report’s conclusions was that “deep reductions” in livestock methane emissions are required without delay in order to mitigate the effects of climate change. The report states, “There is increasing agreement that overall emissions from food systems could be reduced by targeting the demand for meat and other livestock products”. Some of the report’s conclusions and recommendations might well sit uncomfortably with New Zealand’s many livestock farmers. But to simply deny or ignore scientific consensus because it is inconvenient is not the way forward.
Cat concern
Jo Rolston, Snells Beach
Your article Dotterels defy developers at Snells Beach (MM Dec 18) was incorrect when it came to the “feral” cat. It wasn’t. It was just a lost and scared domestic female. Described as “a very friendly girl, spayed but not microchipped,” you would have found her at Julie’s Animal Refuge after Michele trapped her. She had a bashed-up nose from being caught in the trap. Please don’t inaccurately report, it only plays into the agenda of the anti-cat brigade.
To clarify, the story quoted Michele MacKenzie saying the cat was “probably feral”. She also described the cat as vicious – Ed
Golden rule
Barry Thompson, Snells Beach
Treat others the way you would like to be treated. We live in a very special part of the world with so many kind, generous people who go out of their way to help others. Unfortunately, we all have our weak and selfish side too. At times, we fail to see the effect of our thoughtless acts upon others. I arrived at the Warkworth Men’s Shed recently to find some “thoughtful” person had dropped off a load of stuff for us to use. Most of it will have to be relocated to the tip at our expense and inconvenience. How unimportant you might think, but it is symptomatic of the ways we can fail to consider the impact of our actions upon others. Other organisations such as the Trading Post and opportunity shops often have the same experience. How would you like to work at a recycling plant? Imagine how your unsorted dirty, contaminated rubbish must frustrate the people there. We have all done it – failed to think of the other person. When we point the finger at another, there are always three fingers pointing back at you. This year, let’s make our place an even more special part of the world.
Pathetic planning
Elizabeth Foster, Whangateau
The holiday traffic situation in the Warkworth/Matakana area is becoming farcical. In its enthusiasm for unsustainable growth in the area, Auckland Council has no plans for dealing with the problem other than the silly Matakana link road. This may give faster access to the city for a few, but will increase the traffic coming to the Matakana bottleneck and will do nothing for growing Snells Beach traffic and traffic from all areas which must access Warkworth. Under delegated authority, Council staff are approving unsuitable residential and commercial development in this area with no public input and no consideration for the impact of traffic on the environment and the inadequate roading infrastructure. The pathetic bus system is not the answer. There is no provision for the growing volume of logging trucks that will occur in the near future, nor the increase in trucks from local quarries to provide for the motorway. The only relief can come from a new bridge south of Warkworth and an effective roading system for Matakana. Neither Hill Street nor Matakana can cope with the increasing influx of residents and visitors. No Supercity here.
