A tale of addiction
Responding to climate change is a lot like giving up cigarettes. When I started smoking, I was aware that there were warnings about health risks. These were unimportant to me.
By the time I was a young adult, I understood the risk and knew I couldn't continue forever.
I was also aware that I was addicted and that it would be difficult to quit. However, mostly I would postpone giving up.
Eventually, I became convinced that I had a health problem. That was enough incentive to enrol in a "Quit Programme". That took one week of relative hardship, but I was cigarette-free after that.
Some, however, will leave it too late and die of cancer, emphysema, stroke or heart attacks.
Right now many are in the denial stage of climate change. They want to fit another couple of years of driving the V8 around and still intend to do a world trip.
The doctor is now the meteorologist and the warnings are clear. Like passive smoking, this will affect others. The risks will be as devastating as the cigarette-related illnesses but on a global scale.
Coming generations will suffer from our addiction to fossil fuels. Many already are.
Niall Robertson, Auckland.
What crisis?
National points out that there is a cost-of-living crisis but is no more likely to take the steps necessary to address it than is Labour. Some examples: increase benefits in line with the recommendations of the last inquiry, reduce power prices by buying back into state hands all aspects of power generation and distribution, reduce and eventually abolish GST and replace it with a comprehensive tax package that includes a capital gains tax, death duties, land tax, transaction tax etc and remove fares from all public transport.
Bob van Ruyssevelt, Glendene.
Hate speech
I'm shocked the Herald printed John Roughan's March 12 article exhibiting prejudice and hate speech tendencies, beginning: "What's wrong with Russians?"; accusing them of responsibility for the authoritarian regime ruling Russia; and asserting that being "alone and sullen seems to be their desired state". He obviously hasn't met many Russians — they vary in personality like people everywhere worldwide.
Readers generally prefer informed background to nationalistic jingoism. Such stereotyping based on national, religious or racial identity led to the Christchurch murders, the Holocaust and countless other massacres. The tone of Roughan's comments put him in undesirable company.
The claim that Russia's war in Ukraine is "imperialism more naked than we have seen in our lifetimes" supposes we are naive children. For example, America invaded Iraq twice during the lifetimes of those aged 20; and I nursed in Vietnam, another country America tried "to fix", as he puts it. Those who genuinely loathe war for the barbaric activity it is, should oppose all armed aggression, regardless of who commits it, their political colours, and whether the victims resemble us or not. Moves towards disarmament are only possible when more of us, on all sides, refuse support for military alliances and war any longer.
Frances Palmer, Titirangi.
Refinery closure
Given the announcement that due to the current energy crisis the Government is reducing the tax on fuel by 25c per litre, I again wish to draw the populace's attention to the imminent closure of Marsden Point Oil Refinery. Brian Gaynor's report on the last shareholders meeting makes very sober reading.
We are being let down by our elected representatives. It's not too late for intervention at the highest level.
To quote singer Jodie Mitchell, You don't know what you have lost till its gone. A rethink is urgently required.
Nigel Bufton, Pauanui.
Safe hands
The poor old Labour Party just can't catch a break. Who can remember the petrol crisis of 1973? The unpalatable solutions got them resoundingly defeated at the next election. And here we are again, crisis after crisis after crisis.
I think these have been pretty deftly handled by the Government.
It was a proud moment when New Zealand's Prime Ministers' image lit up the Burj Kalifa in Dubai. It's with pride that New Zealanders have performed the best in the world in combating the terrible disease called Covid. Kiwis take a bow. A few of us are embracing exciting conspiracy theories and far-right actors are always in the background sowing seeds of discontent. Surely facts and truth will prevail.
Paul Cheshire, Maraetai.
