Letters: Free market has limits; electric vehicle uptake needed

An electric vehicle charging space in Auckland. Photo / Getty

Mike Hosking (Opinion, January 24) has good reason for preferring the free market for electric cars - the free market services us well in many areas.

However, Mike's view of the "real world" is very limited. He ignores the fact that we do not rely entirely on the free market to fight our wars, to protect our environment, to rebuild destroyed cities, to provide health services, to plan our cities, to manage our security and many other areas that make our civilisation what it is.

At the moment we have a crisis in which the free market is destroying the stability of our climate, and denying our children the quality of life that we have.

Our failure over recent decades to influence the markets to minimise emissions and to promote low emission alternatives has made us one of the poorest performing countries in the developed world.

It may well threaten trading opportunities if other countries insist on the responsibilities of their trading partners.

Mike had better look beyond his narrow free-market world and realise that it has its limits.

Gray Southon
Tauranga

Electric vehicle use will rise

The fact that people are still buying ego-driven SUVs in the face of climate change, is surely a foolish thing to do.

Electric vehicles are a new kind of car and certainly will take time for people to realise their value: ease of use, inexpensive to run (30 cents a litre for an overnight charge), very low maintenance costs (only 20 plus moving parts), regenerative braking stores energy when you slow down, quick acceleration.

When Henry Ford introduced his cars, it took years for uptake.

Hopefully, with several manufacturers of EVs, across price brackets, EVs will be accepted as a way for our civilisation to lessen the impact of climate change.

Joy Rising
Greerton

Recycling bin dumped after price hike

Last January I paid $80 for a recycle bin, this year the same size bin is $138.

Consequently, I will not be using the bin when it's just for paper and plastic, we barely get to fill half of the bin.

Our local supermarket Fresh Choice has very generously allowed the people of Ōmokoroa glass bins that they have organised and paid for.

The paper and plastic will probably go into general rubbish or if I am going to Greerton will take it to Maleme St.

Wendy Galloway
Ōmokoroa

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