Letters: Consumerism, malls, elections, plastic bottles and Lizzie Marvelly

Containers of imported goods at the Ports of Auckland. File photo / Mike Scott

Letter of the week: Clark James, New Lynn

One issue, and one issue alone, is significant in our world; the wanton destruction of the environment, so a few already wealthy industrialists and their political cohorts can line their already bulging pockets.
Such is global trade; which in effect has countries swapping products they could produce themselves. Shipping companies and port authorities make fortunes from such trade, so it is fostered. Trade should be countries importing only what they cannot themselves produce, as it once was. Of course, importing products from slave-labour countries and adding exorbitant mark-ups also benefits these wealthy industrialists and retailers.
In our country, the one political party in government which should be condemning this environmental ruin is obsessed with sexuality. Another, which had an environmental policy long before many present MPs were born, is denied publicity.
To clean up our world will require a change from consumerism to conservation, from destruction to restoration on a scale unprecedented, with an economic system that will not lead to further public debt.

Rolling mall

After reading about how large shopping malls like the Scentre complex in Newmarket suck the life force out of surrounding streets (Weekend Herald, January 18), one can only wonder where all this will end. Of course, it won't stop very soon, for these giant concrete boxes will just keep monopolising the suburbs, given half a chance.
However, a serious dip in the economic consumption pattern could well change all this overnight. Just look back at 1988.
On top of any planetary or purely economic glitches, we cannot underestimate the power of online shopping. When we would've possibly laughed at this phenomenon only two decades ago, I can honestly say that, except for perishable food items, most of all my shopping is now done online.
So there is a sensible shift away from bricks-and-mortar shopping, lessening our carbon footprint, freeing up precious spare time and saving an awful lot of money in the process.
It may well be perceived as an arrogant stance to bypass the dependence of retail assistants on income, but this is going to be commonplace within a decade, when most if not all monetary retail transactions will be automated anyway.
Sorry Nuffield Street, but you are just another example of "things-to-come".
Rene Blezer, Taupo.

Fairer elections

In election year, it is timely to review a blemish in our electoral system. The current rules can mean that a party with an electorate member receiving 4 per cent of the vote returns five members, whereas a party receiving 4 per cent of the vote without an electorate member returns none. This is simply not proportional.
At the referendum, the majority voted for a proportional system, not a disproportional outcome. A strict proportional rule (seats according to the proportion of votes received) is fairer, more logical and provides electoral integrity. This is an issue which is apolitical - the rule can affect, adversely or beneficially, any political party - small or large depending upon alliances.
One option, if a seat is won and the threshold not exceeded, is not to return any extra members, but this would not be proportional either.
Another is to lower the threshold to one proportional seat. This might be objected to on the grounds that it allows the election of "troublesome" minorities and single-issue Parties, but would result in a truer and more representative democracy. Although it might assist them to "wag the tail" of government, it seems the more principled of the two options.
John Collinge, St Mary's Bay.

You have male

I was disappointed to read Lizzie Marvelly's crude denigration of men (Weekend Herald, January 18)
This provocative and divisive rhetoric against men appears to be a perfect example of what is popularly termed "hate speech".
All of us have various levels of fault in our behaviours but, in this beautiful country of ours, we are all free to choose the company we keep, including that of men of goodwill and character from whom we can learn.
It seems Ms Marvelly is unfortunate not to have had the privilege of meeting with such men or is unable to recognise them when offered the opportunity.
I am one of the fortunates.
Joy Bell, Ellerslie.

Bottle bane

I was saddened to read about the albatross who died after ingesting a plastic bottle (Weekend Herald, January 18).
Stopping in at the supermarket yesterday, I was astounded by the number of different brands of bottled water that are available in New Zealand, a country that has safe drinking water. Almost all are in plastic containers.
I have travelled in many countries where there is no safe drinking water and you have to buy bottled water. In my opinion, there is no excuse for buying it here. If you don't like chlorine, fluoride, etc, just get a filtering system. In the case of chlorine, just put a jug of water in the fridge and by the next day, the taste will have improved.
Jacqui Ross, Massey.

Living longer

I am horrified by your joyous article on the work of David Sinclair, and extending life to 150 years (Weekend Herald, January 18).
I have a friend who is 75 looking after a cantankerous mother who is 98, neither have a life. I also have a friend who at the age of 70, is hoping to live to 150, which is odd given that he is in constant severe back pain.
Modern medicine has already given people the ability to live longer, but enabling many people to be non-productive for perhaps an extra 80 years, is this good?
It used to be said that if you haven't made it by 40 you are not going to make it at all. I suggest that if you haven't ticked off your bucket list by the time you are 75 then you won't ever.
I personally deplore the concept of dying in a rest home and consequently, at 72, took a race car to Bonneville Salt Flats, I do not think I will be capable of this in 10 years time.
The most important precept to live by, is Occam's Razor: "To use more when less will suffice is vain". This does not just apply consumption but to time and life as well.
Neville Cameron, Coromandel.

Coronavirus

The Ministry of Health says it is monitoring the situation and not able to confirm what the process will be for people arriving in New Zealand from Wuhan.
Could I please respectfully ask the ministry to hurry up and get some monitoring in place at our borders? We protect our fauna and flora but apparently not our people.
This is a disease that has already spread to Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, and the USA. Is the ministry going to wait until it has arrived in New Zealand before taking any action?
You can bet your last dollar that it is going to arrive once the first travellers arrive back from China after celebrating Chinese New Year.
Brenda Barnes, St Heliers.

A quick word

Congratulations Prego restaurant for your no-dogs policy. I now know where to go for a meal and not have dogs annoying me. Jock MacVicar, Hauraki.

I thought it was only the younger generation who had a deluded sense of entitlement, however Mr Langsford gives reassurance that such a sense of entitlement is widespread across the community. Mike Cook, Clyde.

It's bad enough having to put up with badly behaved children in a restaurant, we don't need to trip over dogs as well. Susan Lawrence, Kohimarama.

I never thought that I would ever agree with Lizzie but this time she's on the money - there will never be any room for a man in my 47-year heterosexual marriage. Greg Moir, Kerikeri.

Sadly Lizzy's Marvelly's great article 'Who really needs a man?' won't get read by men with that heading but it'll surely attract the women readers! Chris Bayes, Torbay.

Ms Marvelly, you need a man. That man you need is your father, without whom, and your mother, you would not exist. I hope you show him, and your mother, how grateful you are to both of them for giving you the gift of life. John L R Allum, Thames.

She and her future wife will find they really do need a man when they decide to have a baby. Just saying. Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.

A lot of people go into marriage and the agreed vows with rose-tinted glasses, just like in employment, you won't suddenly do a better job just because you're a woman. Craig Forsberg, Northpark.

Just imagine that a man had made the same generalisations about women, and it would have to be in one's imagination because we would not be reading it in our newspaper.
J Leighton, Devonport.

Maybe the Nanogirl, Michelle Dickinson, who writes informative articles on the same page, should give Lizzie a biology lesson. Kevin Powell, Papamoa.

Compelling evidence shows that columnist Lizzy Marvelly's only point is lesbianism but Jake Bailey has no point at all. Stewart Hawkins, St Heliers.

Kiwifruit purchased on impulse, on closer inspection revealed it was from Italy. I understand we stole it from China originally, but Italy? Peter Clapshaw, Remuera.

The plastic used to wrap uncooked food – meat, fruit, vegetables – is very hard to recycle as it is contaminated and mostly film plastic. If this type of plastic was compostable, then it would no longer be a problem. David Bentham, Waiheke Island.

The taxpayer is continually picking up the health tab for health and dental problems caused by secret sugar, the unknown and unknowable addition to food. Maurice Robertson, Torbay.

I bought some hokey pokey ice cream. There are no fish in it. Sue Forster, Rotorua.