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Campground pricing
Mr McDonald raises some valid points around the free camping debate ( Southland Times, June 21).
I agree freedom camping should be stay, sleep and drive away leaving nothing but footprints.
But that is not the case and, in almost every area across Southland, huge sums of money are being spent trying to clean up after these people. And much of the human excrement they leave does not get cleaned up.
However, to place part of the blame on campground owners is yet another distraction.
Prices do vary from the very cheap to the quite expensive, as is the case in every service business. People have the choice to pay or not for the standards and facilities they will get, and that’s business. If you eat out it’s the same.
The fact DOC charges $13 for grass and a toilet shows just how cheap campgrounds are, as DOC only work on a cost recovery on public land while campgrounds are a huge investment.
To do some comparison, think about what a council charges you to park at most airports. A small bit of seal with nothing but white painted lines for up to $15 per day. Makes $22 seem pretty cheap when you get free showers, a kitchen to cook in, electricity supplied, WiFi, about 50 Sq meters to call your own and many other things.
How can that be done for $7? It is a competitive industry and people have a right to decide whether or not to stay but they don’t have a right to think they can set our prices. Philip Todd Invercargill
Meaty concerns
In response to the Southland Times article titled Vegetarian diet keeps fat at bay, the single study is on a small group of only 72 type 2 diabetics over a short period of 6 months, therefore does not account for the current body of evidence with regards to eating patterns and health outcomes, nor does this single study constitute overall nutrition recommendations for the New Zealand population.
Regardless of whether one chooses to follow a vegetarian or non-vegetarian eating pattern, both can result in a healthful lifestyle depending on the quality and nutrient composition of one’s diet, and the way one chooses to live with regards to regular exercise, maintaining a healthy body weight, stress management, moderating alcohol and not smoking. An eating regime that aims to reduce body fat is achievable whether vegetarian or not, and I recommend those needing assistance to seek the advice of a New Zealand registered dietitian or registered nutritionist.
The comments on environmental benefits to having more meat-free days does not take into account how our beef and lamb are raised here in New Zealand. The pastures on which they are raised are only suitable for livestock, would otherwise be wasted and our farmers take great pride in treating the land and its animals to the utmost highest standard, where they take care of the farms they manage and leave in a better condition for the next generations to come, resulting in a constant improvement of a sustainable food system.
The NZ meat industry endorses the recommendations by the Ministry of Health and Diabetes NZ with regards to meat consumption, which is that of moderation, not eaten every day, served lean and with plenty of vegetables and wholegrains, and within a healthy lifestyle. Fiona Greig Nutrition manager, Beef + Lamb New Zealand