Whanganui letters: We may be the first and only society choosing not to save itself

Covid-19-style lockdowns should be applied to CO2-emitting industries, writes one reader. Photo / 123rf

Letters to the Editor

Radical as it may seem, what the world needs to combat the ever-increasing magnitude of global disasters, floods, heatwaves, fires, etc. is something along the lines of the Covid-19 lockdowns, except applied to CO2-emitting industries.

Perhaps in the form of staggered lockdowns where isolation isn’t required, but big polluters must put into effect series and cycles of production pauses.

During the Covid-19 lockdowns, which included industrial pauses and vehicle use restrictions, we witnessed immediate improvements in air quality, waterways recovery and animals reclaimed territories on which we had encroached.

These noted changes were window views of the way forward to combat the causes, not the symptoms, of global warming. Nothing we are currently doing is sufficient... the crisis is here, and it’s worsening. If we are serious about this, we will all be required to make sacrifices in the interests of human and planetary survival.

If we’re not willing, then a telling quote from one source I read noted, “We may be the first and only society choosing not to save itself, because doing so wasn’t deemed cost-effective.”

Paul Baber

Aramoho

Thanks from the Bay of Plenty

I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to three top blokes from your community. On Friday, July 21, my three sons broke down just north of Bulls as they returned to the Bay of Plenty for an important function.

Unfortunately, it was one trip too many for the old Honda Airwave (affectionately known as J–Lo). This is a tricky situation late on a Friday afternoon for a mum to deal with, but I phoned a friend who suggested John from Pegasus Rental as a great bloke who could possibly help me.

Within 20 minutes of my call to John, he had Rowan from Whanganui Towing on the job, who sent his man James over to help.

Sons were picked up and towed to the Pegasus rental yard in Whanganui, and all admin was dealt with quickly and easily over the phone. John stayed late and got the sons on their way in a much superior vehicle from Pegasus Rental.

However, this was not the end of the kindness. John then appraised the mechanical situation, stored the vehicle and negotiated with Autoparts Wanganui to help me to dispose of J–Lo. Absolute champion!

I am so appreciative of the kindness and support shown to me and my family at that time - it made an extremely stressful time so much easier.

I encourage all to please support these wonderful businesses, but most particularly John from Pegasus Rental; this is not normally in the job description for a rental car yard, and he went above and beyond to assist a mum in distress.

Thank you so much to the kind people we have in our communities such as these men, who remind us of what it means to be a “top bloke” you can rely on in times of need.

Tania Spence and whānau

Bay of Plenty