Adapting to a low emissions lifestyle

Re: Paul Grimmer's letter ‘The Climate has always changed!' (The Weekend Sun Letters page, April 14, 2023).

Unfortunately My Grimmer, human-induced impacts on climate do represent a real threat to our planet and its inhabitants. Unless we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition the way we do things, we risk ocean and land biodiversity collapse, more frequent dangerous weather events, loss of infrastructure and contamination of freshwater.

The price of inaction on emissions reduction is far greater than the cost of striving towards adapting to climate and biodiversity positive existence.

In the Bay of Plenty, local government and many non-government organisations and private sector agencies are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The great news for readers is that adapting to a low emissions lifestyle is better for our health, our finances, and our overall wellbeing. Here are a few everyday steps we can take to save money and reduce our greenhouse gas footprint: Consider taking a bus, bike, scooter, walk, car share whenever possible. Switch lights and appliances off. Compost all organic waste. Move towards a plant-based diet. Only buy what we need. Don't waste any food. Reuse, repair, recycle. Buy locally-made and produced where possible. Fly less.

Tauranga councillor Kat Macmillan, Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana.

5 comments

WOW..!!....

Posted on 21-04-2023 08:33 | By groutby

Beam me up to this wonderful Utopian existence....right away please !!!....


Just out of curiosity?

Posted on 22-04-2023 08:26 | By crazyhorse

If New Zealand were to slip into the ocean and disappear altogether? what effect would that have on climate change, pollution of any kind is abhorrent but these lefty ideologists have no grasp of reality and being on council is a dangerous place for someone of this IQ to be!


Really?

Posted on 22-04-2023 12:37 | By crazyhorse

Kat Macmillan writes The great news for readers is that adapting to a low emissions lifestyle is better for our health, our finances, and our overall well-being, Has Kat never read what's happening in countries transitioning to renewables including NZ, that stopped mining coal and now imports poor quality coal and twice as much, Europe even Australia has skyrocketing energy costs due to renewables being forced on them with actually no idea of the final cost in financial terms to the general populous or the actual output, this ideology is pie in the sky for those that look but can't see, probably need more cycle ways with New Zealand's Inclement weather and ageing population, that will fix everything!


what can ndo to save the planet ?

Posted on 24-04-2023 12:15 | By Bill S

Whilst all the suggestions made by this article have merit they will not help save the planet. If there was no Carbon Trading market N Z would easily be Carbon Neutral. Our footprint would be 0.02 % of the worlds carbon footprint. Our Greeney influenced politicans need to spend their time getting the big polluters, China,India,USA, and U K to stop polluting the world. Unfortunatley we live on the same planet as them!!!


Further information

Posted on 30-04-2023 09:42 | By k Smith

Bill S & Crazy Horse you comments are correct information, just like to add some information to consider, in Green Land where the ice is receding there are remains of stone cottages where the Vikings used to live/farm before the ice came. The planet has been warming up for 100s of years its just snowballing and we are helping it by our living ways etc. The car companies fuel companies have been dishonest to us by keeping the research information secrete on emissions marketing vehicles as safe for us to drive by the billions, stalling the process of technology for environmentally friendlier cars, now we the consumers are having to pay for it. The fuel companies are the mostly to blame for this. Scientists who worked for Exxon and Shell recently blew the whistle on this a coverup they knew in the 1980s.


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