Letters to the editor: It’s not Boomers who ruined the world with plastic

A reader says phasing out plastic bags is a great reversal, and we should get on with it.

I can’t see a problem phasing out plastic bags.

Paper bags, wooden spoons and paper plates were phased out and plastic approved. Now we’re back to paper and wooden utensils at takeaways — and paper bags.

For older people, it’s nothing new, so why all the hype?

It just shows it’s not the Baby Boomers or older people who ruined the planet with plastic.

We always took our own shopping bags or baskets. We never gave a thought to using plastic.

It’s a great reversal. Let’s get on with it.

Viv Radley

Rotorua

Get on with bilingual road signs

Let’s move ahead with introducing bilingual road signs in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Many countries in the world do this. I have admired its usage overseas.

There may be some confusion, however, for drivers trying to take in both languages while negotiating busy highways.

A solution is to present each language in a different colour.

Either place differently coloured English words above Māori words. (The reading eye moves naturally from the upper to the lower position.)

Or place English and Māori words side by side, again, each language having differing colours.

Different colours might also help tourists in New Zealand, who may not be fluent in either English or Māori.

Early discussion on which colours present well to drivers in both sunshine and in dark, rainy conditions, would be wise.

Authorities need to anticipate drivers’ possible problems and offer signage that will be clear and simple and not add to the distractions that lead to carnage on our roads.

Marjorie Griffiths

Lynmore

Per-capita productivity in this country is lower than many trading partners and is one of the reasons behind the current crime wave, the recession, high food prices, house pricing, you name it.

Perhaps there are too many people on benefits — including me on a pension — as well as many unproductive jobs built around health and safety and compliance issues.

It seems to take 1000 orange cones and four trucks to monitor our driving habits around a few potholes. In my view, this is one of the most visible unproductive industries.

We need to pay attention in this election year. Again, I need to make the point that family values, such as respect for people and loyalty to country, should be instilled from the cradle, and could change this potentially tragic situation.

But I doubt this happening any time soon.

John Williams

Ngongotāha

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