Letters to the Editor

Oceans warming or head in the sand

Dear Editor,

Correspondent Alastair Brickell is kind to agree that two of the points in my original letter (22/11) were correct but he joins the diminishing minority of Climate Change deniers. InTheInformer29/11, we have ‘Scott’s Thoughts “ – an Article by our parliamentary representative, Scott Simpson who, having returned from COP27 as national’s spokesperson on Climate Change, wants zero emissions by 2050.

Surely the many nations that attended COP27, did so because they accept that Climate Change is man-made and needs correcting. The Proliferation of tornadoes, wildfires, temperature records and floods must also warn us that something has gone wrong.

As to the chemistry of the oceans, why should they be producing CO2 (as he writes) instead of O2 from photosynthesis? Also, from High School, I remember that CO2 dissolved in H2O forms a weak acid.(H2CO2) and this can interfere with sea organisms, forming shells and coral. Perhaps he can tell me how our oceans become alkaline ( as he writes) as carbonic acid would immediately combine to form a compound, if correct.

My comment about hydrolysing sea water was to form alkalinity, as hydrogen would be a waste product. A matter of removing CO2 as it dissolved into the ocean’s considerable surface.

Using the abundant fossil fuels and gas is what got us into troubler in the first place, and seeing the multiplicity of vehicles on the roads etc., we still have our collective heads in the sand.

Sincerely,

Peter H Wood

Christmas in The Informer

I wish to congratulate Pauline Stewart and the Informer team for their latest edition.

The caption on the front cover reads : YOUR PEOPLE, YOUR STORIES and lower down, "IT FEELS A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS"

This certainly was evident, with all the bright photos of the Santa Parade, the lighting of the Christmas tree and all the accompanying activities.

It was also a pleasure to read all the positive activities that are going on in Whitianga, from teaching young ones to skateboard, taking MBAS special needs students out sailing, En Pointe Dance Concert, a Community Christmas Dinner, raising money for a Mammogram Machine etc.

We should all be thankful we live in such a vibrant and caring community.

Janet Brown,