We move forward when we ignore reality
Re: “COP15’s absurd proposed planetary diet ignores reality,” commentary, Dec. 17.
The proposed diet calls for the people of the world to eat significantly less meat than we do at present. This would greatly reduce the biodiversity loss currently identified as a major global problem.
It would also be healthier. It sounds to me like a good idea, one to which I am prepared to make at least a moderate contribution.
Sylvain Charlebois doesn’t question these advantages, but calls the idea “absurd,” apparently because Canada’s animal protein industry contributes $60 billion to our GDP and our dairy industry another $20 billion.
This is what he means by “reality,” which he feels should not be ignored.
This seems extremely poor reasoning. When we decided that Canada should stop burning coal, the “reality” was that the coal industry was extremely profitable.
Happily, we ignored that reality, and converted to energy generation with lower carbon emissions and fewer toxic fumes. When we decided to start converting to electric transport, we had to contend with the protests of the oil and gas industry. Or at least, of Alberta, which seems to speak on their behalf. Again, we “ignored reality.”
In fact, it would seem that often, the only way forward is to ignore what Charlebois would call “reality.” If we can make a better world, with relatively little pain, let’s go ahead and do it.
Vegetarian and vegan restaurants seem to be spreading. I noticed the new “Meet” sign today in Victoria on Blanshard.
Jim Gower
North Saanich
Feeding livestock is a waste of land
Re: “COP15’s absurd proposed planetary diet ignores reality,” commentary, Dec. 17.
The writer essentially argues that human diet does not impact global biodiversity, but cites no data to support this. And he objects to the “planetary health diet” that proposes a reduction in human consumption of animal protein. Further, he argues that the economic contribution of an animal-based diet cannot be overlooked.
Numerous sources of information report on the inputs to generate one kilogram of meat protein (fuel, water, grain, hay, etc.). Many crops are grown to feed livestock and poultry, a wasteful use of land if one considers how inefficient it is to convert plant protein to animal protein.
Including a grain and a legume in a meal supplies all the essential amino acids that humans need to synthesize protein. When you view a hay meadow, imagine the species-rich wetland that once existed there.
Consider how much energy is needed to make fertilizer. How much less land would be needed to raise grains to bake bread rather than feeding it to beef cattle?
Is the current level of consumption of animal protein sustainable? Especially as the globally growing middle class desires to eat more meat than in the past?
Ken Marr
Victoria
Yes, Virginia, there is still free TV
Re: “A Charlie Brown Christmas is an exercise in television sorrow,” commentary, Dec. 17.
I also enjoy watching A Charlie Brown Christmas every year, which is a tradition in our family, and can certainly appreciate what the writer points out.
Fortunately, we purchased the Charlie Brown Christmas DVD 15 or 20 years ago, along with the Frosty the Snowman. And even the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol with Alistair Sim. So now we are able to watch these classics whenever we want and are not limited by the TV broadcasters.
The writer also laments that the first TV was essentially free to be pulled out of the ether yourself. Alas, all is not lost. Free TV is still available: It is just that almost everyone has forgotten about it.
I installed an inexpensive Channel Master antenna and pointed it in the correct direction with the help of a free website (rabbitears.info). The antenna doesn’t even need to be on your roof, the attic will do if you are in a house.
Connect it to your router with an HD Home Run box and presto, you have free streaming TV to all your electronic devices over your wifi.
This is not the grainy TV channel reception of the 1960s and ’70s. When broadcasters switched from analog to digital signals in 2011, the quality and functionality of the signal greatly increased, including the ability to broadcast high definition signals.
It is possible to get crystal-clear channels, indistinguishable from your paid cable service. We can receive about 42 channels from our location. However, as the writer states, these channels may still show everything that is fit to watch and much that isn’t.
Vacuum-tube radios and guitar amps anyone? Old technology can still be great.
Reg Smith
Victoria
Don’t get excited about premier’s promises
A simple definition of inertia is “a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged.”
Given the NDP promise from 2017 to “provide faster access to mental health services, when and where people need it,” I cannot think Sir Isaac Newton could come up with a better example.
So with a new premier with a new slate of promises, I would caution people to not hold their breath.
Scott Clark
View Royal
Let’s catch people before they fall
I can’t help but take issue with the near-constant barrage of mental health, housing and involuntary institutionalization-related opinion pieces I’ve been reading lately.
Firstly, what we see on the streets is in large part a matter of economics and government policy. Housing is unaffordable and unattainable, peoples’ mental health is on the rise because of the constant pressures we as a society must endure, and self medicating these compounding traumas is a major factor in peoples’ substance-use choices.
Secondly, the government responds with policies that may reduce harm, but don’t actually supply adequate supports to help people change lives, recover or reintegrate back into society.
For instance, some would say modular housing is a quick fix, it’s a political and economic response to a very complex issue that creates as much harm as it is supposed to reduce, and doesn’t attach the adequate supports to the project to mitigate harm to the neighbourhoods where they are placed.
These are valid issues and old news.
Lastly, involuntary confinement won’t stop the political and economic forces that have created these situations. We need to, in part, step away from crisis and invest upstream to catch more people before they fall.
Chris Forester
Victoria
Low-income subsidy won’t really help
About the $500 subsidy for low-income seniors as a rent rebate: Remember that only those who get $20,000 a year and under qualified for it.
I live in a low-income seniors building and asked a few people what they got. First the site wouldn’t let me in, but a friend got into the site and applied.
She had an income of $20,688. She was denied.
I feel it’s the government just going for feel-good stories to get points as the good guys. Not one low-income senior I know gets less then $20,000.
Do the math and know we are way under the poverty level. Sorry, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, no points for you. Just because we are older doesn’t mean we can’t spot cow patties when we see them.
Carol Dunsmuir
Victoria
Let’s all try to be on Santa’s Nice List
If you’re nice to Mother Earth, she’ll give you healthy food, clean air and clean water.
If you’re naughty, you get unhealthy food, and polluted air and water.
How about we all try to be on Santa’s Nice List?
Diana Hardacker
Chemainus
Psychological screening to find best candidates
Re: “Good pay will bring us better MLAs,” letter, Dec. 17.
Using “good” pay to select for moral versus immoral individuals seeking government office isn’t the screening device the letter-writer seems to think it is.
Tell me you don’t understand greedy, power-hungry people, without telling me you don’t understand greedy, power-hungry people.
A real method of keeping out people who shouldn’t ever be in political office is to mandate specialized psychological screening for political candidates, to weed out those with narcissistic or other related antisocial personality disorders.
If they object to or refuse the screening tests, they must be automatically refused as candidates, because we can’t take that chance.
Those are the ones lacking in empathy and are exceptionally selfish, they come in all socioeconomic backgrounds, and must never be allowed to hold political power.
April J. Gibson
Duncan
Ethics, intelligence exist in everyone
Re: “Good pay will bring us better MLAs,” letter, Dec. 17.
I’m at a loss trying to figure out how paying our MLAs very well gives us representatives who have ethics, morals and intelligence.
These attributes, while commendable, are neither exclusive to a particular group of people nor are they entirely absent in the general population.
Is the implication that higher pay buys good character? If so, we should be honouring people who bravely struggle to make it on limited incomes.
Many are single parents, the disabled, the elderly and low-wage earners. It’s always the same story, the rich get richer and the poor never catch a drop of that elusive trickle-down effect.
G.M. Jackson
View Royal
Every family has a bit of shouting
Prince Harry has described the terror experienced by the couple when brother William shouted at him.
If everyone ran away from home when someone in the family shouted at them, there would be very few households left intact. The tedious Netflix series describing contortions of the Royal Family is enough to turn anyone into an anti-royalist.
Marlene Lavallee
Victoria
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