Clean Green New Zealand – 100% Pure Bullshit

Written By: - Date published: 8:33 am, September 1st, 2017 - 9 comments
Categories: Environment - Tags:

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Its happening. More and more of the world is waking up to the fact that New Zealand’s tourism and export industries are lying through their teeth when it comes to New Zealand’s “Clean Green” brand. Any New Zealanders who don’t know this are lying to themselves.

The latest example of international attention to this, ICYMI, comes from Al Jazeera. Last night it screened the first of a two part documentary titled “New Zealand: Polluted Paradise”.

Here’s what the Al Jazeera had to say about it:

New Zealand’s pristine and abundant rivers and lakes have long been central to its proud reputation as a land of breath-taking natural beauty – and fundamental to a clean, green, outdoorsy brand that’s used to attract millions of foreign visitors every year. 

But are its waterways really as sparkling and bountiful as the tourist ads suggest?

It seems not. 

Although the issue hasn’t attracted huge global attention, for some years now campaign groups such as Greenpeace have been ringing alarm bells about the deteriorating quality – and curiously diminishing volume – of New Zealand’s fresh water, problems they say are both directly attributable to the country’s most profitable industry and in danger of being exacerbated by government-backed projects in support of that industry.

People & Power asked filmmaker Naashon Zalk to find out more. His two-part investigation, which we are screening over consecutive episodes, raises troubling questions about what can happen when a nation’s desire for economic growth, however understandable and justifiable it may be, takes undue precedence over the environment.

Meanwhile, the National government is currently suppressing the latest scientific analysis of climate change it has received. According to Bill English New Zealanders don’t care about it. Perhaps that’s why our emissions target is something like 150% more than was released in 1990! Just wait until news organisations like Al Jazeera learn about that, not to mention”Fonterra’s Fires”. Described as the  worst international environmental disaster of last year,  some 1.7 billion (yes, billion) tonnes of carbon were released into the atmosphere in order to harvest palm kernel

Its not just New Zealand Fonterra, National, and its ilk are killing.

9 comments on “Clean Green New Zealand – 100% Pure Bullshit ”

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  1. Robert Guyton 1
    1 September 2017 at 9:07 am

    And to those who argue that The Greens should busy themselves with “environment” to the exclusion of all else…

    “There has never been so much turmoil on our planet, but there has never been greater opportunity for communication, cooperation and dialogue. Basic human rights such as access to water, clean air and sufficient food should be available to everyone without distinction or discrimination. We are convinced that we cannot separate our concern for human dignity, human rights or social justice from the concern for ecological preservation and sustainability.”

    https://www.ecowatch.com/pope-francis-climate-change-2479496671.html

  2. Cinny 2
    1 September 2017 at 9:18 am

    Thank you for doing a post about this, I saw the story on Al Jazeera last night, am yet to watch it all.

  3. Andrew 3
    1 September 2017 at 11:55 am

    “Fonterra’s Fires” … “some 1.7 billion (yes, billion) tonnes of carbon were released into the atmosphere in order to harvest palm kernel”

    Though that is not at all true now is it.

    Palm kernel is the waste byproduct of what these plantations are all about – the production of palm oil. If dairy farmers did not buy it, PKE would be disposed of. Most likely burned.

    Nothing at all to do with Fonterra, I’m calling 100% Pure Bullshit.

    • Robert Guyton 3.1
      1 September 2017 at 12:13 pm

      Andrew – if you buy a product, it becomes valuable to the producer. New Zealand dairy buys palm kernel expeller. If we didn’t, we’d not be responsible for any increase in palm plantations that came about because of the value we’ve added to the process, but we do and we are. It may have been composted in the plantations, rather than burned, as you describe. In any case, expeller goes up into the air as methane once cows have eaten it, adding to climate degradation – thanks, Fonterra. Thanks also for the coal you burn to dehydrate milk into powder – you’re doing marvelous things toward destroying life on earth.

      • Andrew 3.1.1
        1 September 2017 at 12:29 pm

        Yes, completely agree that Fonterra are not faultless by any means. My point was the framing of this post that squared the blame solely at Fonterra, when this is not the case.

        • bwaghorn 3.1.1.1
          1 September 2017 at 4:57 pm

          Our more radical friends always shoot themselves in the foot by bring everything back to nz farmers . it was a good post up till the fonterra gibberish .

  4. greywarshark 4
    1 September 2017 at 2:38 pm

    The shop I work is instructing us on how to comply with the new health and safety laws. They have become tighter and more bureaucratic and unnecessary.

    For some time now when some utensil is washed, and rinsed, it must be drained and air-dried. A tea towel must not be used. Even a clean one is apparently too germy. The articles to be air-dried must be taken to the area where they are going to be used, as the air in the nearby, perfectly clean room may be tainted. And so on. Cleanliness and good hygiene practices are not enough.

    And yet while these tighter laws are enforced, the government is allowing very real germs into our rivers and water and excess substances which become poisonous above certain concentrations. Our drinking water is polluted and can not be cleaned and made safe and healthy for us. Our natural waters and rivers are being turned into agricultural effluent drains. This is because of the hypocrisy of this government which is too lazy and complacent to actually set standards over things they had complete control over. If there isn’t money or advantage to them then they don’t act for the good of NZ.

    To get any positive action on the people’s behalf from National government we have to bribe them, despite that they are receiving billions of dollars to run the country, in salaries and perks, and to employ highly qualified advisors to enable them to produce quality policies and legislation.

    It’s not that we have got too much government that is costing us too much, it is that we have a shoddy government which doesn’t work to serve the people and do their best for the country. Government has been returned to power time and time again because too many people don’t give a shit about anyone or anything except what they can get in their back pockets. But it only takes a few thinking people who aren’t dinosaurs, brain-dead or deeply in love with their own cleverness and superiority to break away and add valuable support where it is most needed to get for NZ voters to get an extra lane to a new turn-off on this political highway. Just note the new signposts and come and visit!

    Let’s change this topsy-turvy country round and ‘make our country great’ for all NZs again. We need the right government, with the right regulations, providing the right leadership and infrastructure. But to be right again, THINK LEFT, VOTE LEFT and say:
    I am for all of us New Zealanders – not against everyone outside of the Inner Circle where I have been isolated from all the great people busting a gut to start changing things and working to get NZ humming.

    • tracey 4.1
      1 September 2017 at 5:16 pm

      Nicely said greywarshark

      Since Directors have become personally liable for accidents they have become hyper sensitive to safety where before some were the opposite. The law states they have to take all “practicable” steps. That does not mean eliminating all risk. It means what steps are reasonable to take, taking into account the cost to business, risk etc.

      Seeing Directors go beyond the letter of the law to protect themselves makes me think the Government should have made Developers and Company Directors personally liable for building defects (and unable to dissolve a company to avoid liability). Imagine how awesome our homes would be.

  5. Booker 5
    1 September 2017 at 2:52 pm

    I remember seeing an Al Jazeera report into New Zealand’s prison population a few years ago. That was an eye opener. Journalism has fallen so far in this country It seems if you want to find out what’s going on, you have to rely on Qatari news organisations.