Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg attends a climate strike arranged by the organization "Fridays For Future" outside the Swedish parliament Riksdagen. Photo / AP
A very simple statement from Greta Thunberg's father, worrying about his daughter attracting "hate", should make all of us sit up and look at ourselves.
Of course, he could have replaced the word "hate" with "envy" or "jealousy". All these words stem from negative mindsets, people who have never found their true passion in life, work and dedication towards betterment of anything at all.
If this display of negativity were to be recognised as such, many people could simply change their lives and choose a transition into the positive. Especially as a resolution at the start of this new decade. The world would become a better place.
It is in such a dire state only because humans haven't figured out that greed and plundering of the planet has nothing to do with positivity. A negative mindset buys into negativity. So Greta's message is intrinsically linked to negativity by many, hence her being interpreted by many as a negative influence.
I am not even totally convinced of global warming purely being caused by mankind, since there is also a lot of evidence pointing to a partly cyclical event, where the planet is rebalancing, a bit like during previous ice ages. Nevertheless, the insatiable pollution, mining of, processing of and waste of resources surely must influence this entire global warming trend.
But whatever Greta sees that many of us have failed to notice, let's all see her in a more positive light. Positivity can only lead to more positivity. Then we may still have a chance to keep our planet habitable, avoiding to be choked from within our own pollution ... and all of this because of a teenager diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome.
Rene Blezer, Taupo.
Interesting, this green-leaning Government that came into power saying "climate change is my generation's nuclear-free moment".
In fact, other than a few EV charging stations and a vague promise to subsidise electric cars in the future, it's done nothing to reduce motor vehicle emissions.
Indeed the only definite action has been to fight the oil companies to reduce fuel prices, when only increased price and introducing congestion charges will curb consumption. Fuel must be very cheap when most of the new cars sold are huge gas-guzzling SUVs, nearly always travelling with only the driver.
And how easy would it be to have an exhaust test on all vehicles when completing the warrant of fitness? It might take some smoky diesels, including buses, off the road.
Vince West, Milford.
For goodness' sake stop bagging the Black Caps. Regardless of records Australia has always had one of the best teams in the world. Armed with hostile seamers they relentlessly pound the batsmen at 140 and 150km/h. We did not adapt well to the pace of the wickets and this was one of the main reasons the majority failed.
The Australians experience pace in state cricket from their own bowlers and only had to deal with our medium-paced attack. This, coupled with a spinner whose talent is limited, meant Australia could score practically at will. Kane Williamson has proved he is a good captain but like all human beings is not perfect. His only problem is that he and Ross Taylor are expected to score a ton every time they walk out to the wicket. Congratulations to Blundell, a great knock.
The weight of expectations accelerated by the media also hasn't helped. A bit of a hiding in Australia shouldn't overshadow their recent test win over England and they were the true winners of the World Cup. Good luck, boys.
Reg Dempster, Albany.
Recently, several letters to the editor of the Herald promoted the rethink of the moratorium on electricity generated by nuclear power plants.
In the 1960s and 70s we were told that electricity produced by nuclear power would be clean and cheap. Apart from the fact that at the moment many tonnes of nuclear waste is lying on the ocean floors in rusty barrels, dumped in those early days when they did not know what to do with the waste, the "cheap" part is also a complete fabrication. It may be cheap to produce electricity in a nuclear plant (and hopefully nothing goes wrong: Three Mile Island in the US, Sellafield in Britain, Chernobyl in the former USSR and most recently Fukushima in Japan tell us a different story) but nobody talks about the cost after the nuclear power station is decommissioned at the end of its economic life. Who will pay for the encapsulation of the decommissioned plant, who will pay for the (hundreds?) of years of safeguarding it — and why, all of a sudden, is nobody talking about the loss of interest on the investment in the land that the power plant sits on?
Is it fair to not include these costs in our electricity consumption picture and leave that as an unpleasant surprise for future generations?
Hans Apers, Whitianga.
Paul Cheshire favours trade with China rather than US on the basis of shootings.
What on earth does he think is occurring daily in China? Perhaps state sponsored killings in Hong Kong or Uighurs imprisoned in re-education camps in Xinjiang are easier for Paul to stomach?
Mary Tallon, Morningside.
I must protest against the claim that we are starting a new decade.
Cannot anyone count? A decade is a 10-year period, and does not end until the tenth year has been completed.
In simple terms, it is just like a car odometer. A calendar at the end of the first year reads 31-12-00, and 31-12-10 at the end of the tenth year, just as an odometer reads 9-999 before it ticks over the first ten kilometres, at 10-000.
Put plainly, and for those who obviously cannot get their heads around a simple concept, the next decade starts at the END of this year.
Roger Handford, Gisborne.
I whinge every time I hear someone say that, entering 2020, we are going into a new decade. Rubbish! There was no year zero when we, using the Christian calendar, went from 1BC to 1AD. 2020 is the last year of this decade.
P.D. Patten, Albany.
History shows how Peter Lyons' article (December 31) is a timely wake-up call for New Zealand. Citing how colonial treasurer Julius Vogel transformed the economy by instigating the great public works policy in the 1870s, Lyons gives a pertinent lesson for current political leaders and powerbrokers.
Against vehement opposition from his fellow politicians, Vogel borrowed £20 million — about $3 billion in today's money. Mainly British immigrants flooded in, almost doubling the colony's population in 10 years. Numerous roads, bridges, and especially railway and telegraph lines helped weld together the colony, which had been under threat of breaking up into fractious regions.
Lyons writes: "We are at a similar crossroads now. The private sector doesn't have the scope, vision or finances to ensure long-term innovative infrastructure spending. Smart government initiatives are the only option. But ... political timidity ... has become structural in recent decades."
Further, our political system promotes competitiveness that intensifies our quarrelsome individualism and disconnectedness to the detriment of informed consensus. Consequently, major longstanding contentious issues such as the large poverty-stricken underclass, the marked rich/poor divide; the mental health crisis and one of the highest rates of family violence in the developed world remain unresolved.
Dr John Hawkes, Remuera.
The new millennium Labour Government commendably abolished knighthoods and damehoods dished out to the rich and famous. Yet inexplicably and imprudently these honours were retrospectively reactivated by Key's National Government. Kiwis can draw their own conclusions about this fatuity and the recipients' calibre in the current honours list. Kiwis don't need anachronisms from the medieval British royal honours system merely to aggrandise those who have already been well rewarded for their vested interests, business careers, sports and other pastimes — there's no need for further unjustified embellishment. Even recent media editorials seriously question who, if any, should get honours, concluding those who perform selfless acts, volunteers and people whose main motivation is to help others deserve recognition.
Unfortunately, goodness rarely motivates politicians, bureaucrats, business leaders, professionals or sportspeople and, what's more, a gender bias is creeping in.
If we can't survive without rewards for public service then simply dish out the homegrown NZ Honours like ONZ etc (also often undeserved) and everyone should be very happy. I readily accept many Kiwis generously volunteer time and services "gratis" for very good causes and it is of course most appropriate this unselfish altruism be recognised in some way.
Rob Paterson, Matapihi.
On electric cars
Richard Bould laments the scarcity of 100kw charging stations for his Jaguar i-Pace electric car. Perhaps the Government should buy more of these cars for their Ministerial EV fleet to incentivise wider installation?
Nick Nicholas, Greenlane.
On Braunias
Steve Braunias' wish list got one thing right — bring back Graeme Hill. He was excellent on Radio Sport — in fact any radio.
Tim Masters, Waihi Beach.
On 2020
2020. The year of good vision. Well maybe. Let's hope that better vision descends on the certain very large country which has claimed for decades to be the world's policeman.
Samuel Johnson wrote around 250 years ago — "Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel". The fragile world that we live in needs co-operation not nationalism.
Tony Sullivan, St Heliers.
On Christmas
Whatever happened to Christmas? Hardly any street or shop decorations. All the shopkeepers were interested in was what made the most money, Black Friday or Boxing Day.
P D Ashley, Bombay.
On Marilyn Waring
Well done Dame Marilyn. Your honour is thoroughly deserved.
M & J Neumann, Hauraki.
Police and ambulance staff on scene at night markets.