Farms, ruminants, and matters of life and death

IN response to Anna Campbell’s column ‘‘Seeing science as part of the big picture’’, (ODT 24.5.23).

When we lived as huntergathers our power to damage the environment was limited. We could burn bush down and kill off animals — even large ones. And we did. Here in New Zealand. In Australia. Everywhere we went.

About 10,000 years the climate stabilised and we started farming.

And it's been downhill all the way since. Earth's mostly benign weather fostered civilisation and our numbers grew. When the Black Death reached England in the early 1300s the human population was six million, and half died. Now it's 60 million.

A ruminant animal is not the problem, in the wild. It's farming that's the problem. All farming is bad for the environment. But we need to grow food. For 8 billion people — in a changing climate with diminishing fresh water. It's an interesting problem. Actually, a matter of life and death for children born today.

Dennis Horne

Howick

Speed limits

IT is with great relief that I read that something is going to be done about the speeds outside schools. I presume that this will apply to St Mary’s on

Taieri Rd, where most traffic does well over 50kmh at all times, including weekends, when crashing trailers make a horrific noise, and the dirt and pollution comes into our homes.

There have been three accidents already on this road. The reduced speeds need to be at all times as there are frequent church services with many parked cars on the street, making crossing the road very dangerous. Noone knows if there is a pedestrian crossing or not, some cars stop and some don't.

It has been a fatal accident waiting to happen.

Joy Heazlewood Wakari