I meant to blog about my card of the week, but it can wait another day.
I've been wanting to rant about this subject for a while, and now is as good as ever. If you're not aware, New Zealand is doing everything it can to get rid of that clean green image and get the bucks rolling (into which pockets I'm not sure, definitely not the ones of common good).
When I first arrived in New Zealand, I was blown away by the amazing sceneries of untouched nature. And you'd think people would value it.
I won't go into the details of everyday "un-greenness" (top loaders? Hello!) or even the paradoxes of an industrialized country that has people living in freezing cold un-insulated damp houses half the year, thus using shameful amounts of power to run heater and dehumidifiers (and burning tons of wood).
The governments attitude itself is enough for a long blog post.
Since I have been living here, I have seen a hill on the West Coast of the South Island (home to native snails) flicked to a mining company, proposals to open some reserve land to "exploration" and to look for oil offshore (just after the BP oil explosion, what a timing that was) and now a proposed development on a beautiful un-spoilt beach, namely New Chums in the Coromandel. And I'm sure there has been a lot more going on that I missed (we don't have TV and I don't read the paper everyday).
Still think this is a green country? It only looks green because settlers deforested 90% of New Zealand and set up cattle and sheep farms.
I really saddens me to watch this happening and feel completely helpless. On days like this, I really wish I'd won Lotto. Twice. Greed and power will always make a man weak and kill his brains. I guess we just don't enjoy the same things and our foresight of the future is different. Maybe all the rich people are just getting richer so they can build a rocket ship that will take them to Mars before Earth breaks down completely. I wish they'd left already.
Anyway, I am still crossing fingers that all this proposed development of New Chums sees is the bin. And that John Darby dies of a heart attack. I mean it.
If like me you don't have TV and if you're wondering what the ! I'm talking about, take 12mn off and watch this. You can also have a stroll on this facebook page and show your support for one beach in the whole of New Zealand.
Someone told me once that in China they paint the grass green on touristy areas... looks like they're not the only ones!
I agree. Plus how can a country be green if there are more cars than bikes on the roads?
ReplyDeleteHi great points, I think the best thing to do is start my being green yourself, which you are, it is amazing how that spreads out into New Zealand people's minds. People are making a difference,all towns now have reclying stations. I do not see that money is always the key to fixing things, People need to wake up and accept that things are not right and get stuck in themselves to start a change for the good. We need decent houses,we have become isolated, we need to get back to caring for our communities, the best way is to set an example (which you are doing).Actions and thoughts do not go unnoticed. Cheers Marie
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