Letters to the editor: Losing the fight against plastic

We are fighting a war on plastic which we are losing big time, writes a reader. Photo / File

Who else believes what we are doing to reduce plastic usage and recycling is like farting against thunder?

Wouldn't it be best for all involved to stop making it? I can hear all the cries now - what do we replace it with?

New Zealand was born on the No 8 wire, can-do attitude mainly because we're at the bottom of the world and had to invent things to survive.

What's so different now?

We are fighting a war on plastic which we are losing big time, so isn't it time to stop making it? In the end, it's just a product of convenience for us all after all.

Gavin Muir
Springfield

Rates rise another attack on tenants

I today received a letter saying that my rates are now $1200 a year higher, starting next month.

If it was a rental property, the rent would increase by $23 a week, so imagine the shock some tenants are going to face when their annual rent increase will now include new higher rates, plus the costs of Health Homes work.

So, another attack on tenants, increased astonishment for landlords who will more likely quit, resulting in even fewer rentals available. Is there anyone in the Government who actually understands the reality of the real world?

Richard Evans
Lynmore

Farmers at it again

It is almost 20 years since the farming sector promoted the effective, but in my opinion misleading, sound bite of a "fart tax" to thwart government measures to manage methane emissions and start countering the threat of climate change.

Now farmers are at it again, protesting water quality measures proposed by the Government.

Just what measures are unreasonable, is not specified. One proposal is to limit the application of artificial nitrogen fertiliser to 190kg per hectare - and that is on top of concentrated urine discharges.

The huge majority of farmers would never use that much fertiliser, trashing our land and water resources. These proposed limits target only the laggards of the farming industry or those who have over-intensified.

The longer we put off cleaning up our water the more it will eventually cost us.

Basil Graeme
Tauranga

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