Letters: Vote no to climate change; staying safe from virus; cannabis law reform
Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read. Polar bears are spending more time on land as the sea ice melts due to climate change. Photo / file If, like me, you are concerned about global heating there is one very simple and effective thing we can do about it. That is, at this year's general election, to vote for a party which is taking action against climate change - and I don't mean National or ACT. They seem determined to do nothing because action might "have a bad effect on the economy". Indeed they appear to be in favour of burning more and more coal and oil and pushing more and more CO2 into the atmosphere. In fact action on reducing CO2 emissions will probably have a beneficial effect on the economy. The Government's investment in a hydrogen energy centre in Taranaki and research into the production of fuel cells will result in new industry with flow-on effects creating jobs and new services. Likewise the billion trees programme and timber buildings policy could be of huge benefit to the forestry industry. The production of cement and steel uses enormous amounts of coal. Replacing cement and steel in the construction of commercial, industrial and apartment buildings, with laminated timber columns, beams, and floors, will not only reduce CO2 emissions but will also sequester large amounts of carbon in the buildings themselves thus reducing atmospheric greenhouse gases. It is a win-win situation with little or no downside. So, in the general election ignore the grey old men in their grey old suits, doing nothing, and vote for one of the parties which are taking action against global heating and climate change. ELWYN EVANS Gonville READ MORE: Whanganui District Council declares climate emergency Young and old come together in Whanganui to support climate change action Whanganui councillors scrap climate 'emergency' declaration, says crisis is "impending Whanganui students issue wake up call to climate change deniers, plan strike action There appears to be much discussion about legalising the drug cannabis, or marijuana as many people know and smoke it. The proponents of legalising this drug tell us how much damage legal alcohol, opioids, etc, are doing to our people, and somehow that is supposed to be a convincing argument for adding another legal destructive drug to the situation? Meanwhile our Government tells us we should not smoke tobacco, while aiming to legalise smoking cannabis. Does anybody miss the irony of this situation? We are left with a question, do our politicians and other proponents of legalising cannabis for "recreational" use simply pine for their youth, or is it simply about money, taxes, and pandering to the business interests of a few? K A BENFELL Gonville Coronavirus (Covid-19) is a virus that we can protect ourselves from getting by various methods. Avoiding contact, good personal hygiene, hand washing, using tissues when coughing or sneezing, etc. Mask wearing is only of value if you know how to safely use them; they are, if incorrectly used, putting you at a higher risk. For example, if someone with Covid-19 breathes, coughs or sneezes near you, the virus sits on the mask surface; if later you remove the mask (as seen frequently on TV interviews) by pulling it down with your hands, the virus has now relocated to your fingers. The only safe way to remove a mask is by the straps (even if you have an itchy nose) and immediately wash and dry your hands. The Ministry of Health should be educating our community regarding safe use of masks, along with how long they are effective, ie, some brands are only of value for 20 minutes. VIV LABONE Springvale READ MORE: Letters: Well done, Whanganui Whanganui Chronicle letters: Freedom vs responsibility Premium - Letters: Special thanks to Whanganui Hospital's busy A&E team Letters: Look after our hospital, Whanganui; we're lucky to have it Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read. Elected members are busy in and out of chambers.