Our planet continues to heat. It has nowhere to go but fill around us, kept in by a thin layer circling around us. There is no escape from this, except to stop the use of fossil fuels. Let’s hope the layer does not break.
Emma Mackintosh, Birkenhead.
Bigger picture
Rob Peterken (Herald, Dec 31) notes that emissions from New Zealand are “barely measurable on the world scale”.
In similar vein I recall hearing Andrew Hoggard in his former role as president of Federated Farmers point out more than once that New Zealand’s emissions are only 0.18% of global emissions. However, the population of New Zealand is only about 0.06% of the global population, which means that on a per capita basis, our emissions are three times greater than the rest of the world’s.
Another problem with the claim that our emissions are too small to be of concern is that any country could notionally divide its population into chunks the size of New Zealand and then argue that each chunk produces only a tiny quantity of emissions.
Obviously, the number that matters most is what the entire globe is producing, and everyone has to do their bit. Climate change doesn’t recognise geopolitical borders and we should stop playing that game.
Rowan Hill, Mt Eden.
Prevention comes first
Gary Carter (Herald, Dec 30) asks that medical schools train doctors in “good health” rather than the current focus of drugs as the first and last choice.
He has a good point. Good health is dependent on the right lifestyle choice because while infectious diseases have largely been eradicated through modern drugs, the “drugs for everything” theory is not working for today’s non-infectious conditions such as diabetes type 2 and “way-of-life” maladies.
To reverse the harms of over-processed food, stress, poor sleep, lack of exercise, too much blue light, etc we need lifestyle change.
Popping pills or injecting substances may treat symptoms and help with weight loss but in many cases the “solutions” themselves cause long-term harm. Meanwhile, enormous profits accrue to Big Pharma.
Lifestyle change is critical if we are to stem the wave of non-infectious metabolic disease that we face, headed by obesity, pre-diabetes and full-blown type 2 diabetes.
Doctors and medical professionals need to be well educated on the topic of nutrition in particular (long neglected), so patients may understand that diet and lifestyle options will definitely offer a way of beating their illness. What happened to, “First, do no harm?”
Judy Anderson, Remuera.
Where the ducks were
I think correspondents Hawkins and O’Toole, both of whom believe police are being deployed in activities that don’t bring “returns on investment”, should have a bit of a rethink.
They might consider that the case of five offenders caught over the alcohol limit for driving in Coromandel at least brought quite a good return when compared with the loss of five potentially fatal or life-changing incidents for those involved and the families, hospital staff, ACC workers and carers etc.
It could have been the result of police not being stationed where these five, trying to duck past them, were stopped. Seems to me the police were exactly where the “ducks” also were, and they did their jobs very well.
Jeremy Coleman, Hillpark.
Tributes to Carter
There is no hope of American politics ever seeing the likes of Jimmy Carter again. He did so many good things for his country, coming from a sincere base, not political expediency.
Even when his successor took the kudos for the release of the Iranian hostages, Jimmy Carter was so happy to have expedited the outcome he did not big-note himself about it.
Apart from anything else, he rolled with the punches when nasty people made mileage out of him being a peanut farmer.
Elena Inta, Henderson.
The world is poorer for the passing of former US President Jimmy Carter. He was the epitome of decency.
He cared about his people, his country, and the world. He tried to make the world a better place for all. His life and work are an example for all of us.
Everything about Jimmy Carter and his life and values is the opposite to those of the current President-elect, Donald Trump.
Vince Ashworth, Morrinsville.
Rooftop protest
Why don’t they get the fire brigade in and spray these protesters with water? They would soon come down and stop wrecking the facilities.
If they knew this was going to be their treatment they may think twice before doing it again. I can hear the protests from the do-gooders saying that this is inhuman.
Jock MacVicar, Hauraki.
