New Zealand Listener Issue 8 2018

As a result of climate change, water pollution, rising obesity and other modern catastrophes, our world is full of shoulds and shouldn’ts. Most are sensible solutions, if only we would follow them: cycle more, walk, drive less, eat nutritious food, use less plastic. Public opinion is even moving towards being willing to be corralled into these good behaviours without crying “nanny state!” The popularity of supermarkets’ proposed phase-out of single-use plastic bags this year is an excellent case in point. However, an economic study’s finding that sugar taxes – one of the most commonly advanced policy fixes for obesity – don’t achieve their purpose illustrates why we need smarter and less-doctrinaire approaches to our shoulds and shouldn’ts. The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research analysed the data from 47 peer-reviewed…

FIND US ONLINE VISIT US ONLINE FOR EXTRA CONTENT AND DAILY UPDATES • noted.co.nz/the-listener • twitter.com/nzlistener • facebook.com/nzlistener Your correspondents frequently attribute the problems facing humankind and the planet to overpopulation (Letters, February 10, January 27). There are, indeed, too many of us and we must breed responsibly, but the good news is population growth has slowed dramatically. The world population, which doubled from about 1.5 billion in 1900 to 3 billion by the 1960s, and doubled again to 6 billion over the following 30 years, has increased by only about 20% in the 20 years since. The bad news is that we and other countries that manage to stabilise their populations do so by becoming wealthier and in the process lose control of consumption. As worrying as overpopulation may…

As a result of climate change, water pollution, rising obesity and other modern catastrophes, our world is full of shoulds and shouldn’ts. Most are sensible solutions, if only we would follow them: cycle more, walk, drive less, eat nutritious food, use less plastic. Public opinion is even moving towards being willing to be corralled into these good behaviours without crying “nanny state!” The popularity of supermarkets’ proposed phase-out of single-use plastic bags this year is an excellent case in point. However, an economic study’s finding that sugar taxes – one of the most commonly advanced policy fixes for obesity – don’t achieve their purpose illustrates why we need smarter and less-doctrinaire approaches to our shoulds and shouldn’ts. The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research analysed the data from 47 peer-reviewed studies and…

WINNING CAPTION Karen Butterworth, Waikanae FINALISTS Winston Peters: “Forget favourites – stick with the stayers.” – Margaret Cannon, Palmerston North Noel Harris: “His cup runneth over!” – Mike Lynch, Upper Hutt Peters: “You don’t have to be first past the post to win.” – Steve Godsiff, Timaru Peters: “Bring that bottle of baubles over here.” – Hone Hurihuri, Gisborne Harris: “Good thing you didn’t call yourselves NZ Second, eh?” – Keith Davidson, Blenheim Peters: “I’m delighted to award the MMP Cup to … me!” – A Neale, Nelson Peters: “Now that’s what I call an ashtray …” – Brian Coutts, Dunedin Peters: “I’ve changed my mind about the baubles of office.” – Jenny Hammond, Wellington Peters: “Silverware, meet silver hair.” – John Edgar, Christchurch Caption Competition {caption@listener.co.nz} TO ENTER Send…

FIND US ONLINE VISIT US ONLINE FOR EXTRA CONTENT AND DAILY UPDATES • noted.co.nz/the-listener • twitter.com/nzlistener • facebook.com/nzlistener Your correspondents frequently attribute the problems facing humankind and the planet to overpopulation (Letters, February 10, January 27). There are, indeed, too many of us and we must breed responsibly, but the good news is population growth has slowed dramatically. The world population, which doubled from about 1.5 billion in 1900 to 3 billion by the 1960s, and doubled again to 6 billion over the following 30 years, has increased by only about 20% in the 20 years since. The bad news is that we and other countries that manage to stabilise their populations do so by becoming wealthier and in the process lose control of consumption. As worrying as overpopulation may be, the elephant in the room is…

“Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realise they were the big things.” – adage “Life in Feilding didn’t just pass you by, it crossed to the other side of the street when it saw you coming.” – Tom Scott in the Listener, 2004 “I don’t watch television. I think it destroys the art of talking about oneself.” – Stephen Fry on QI “Ko te kai a te rangatira he kōrero – the food of chiefs is dialogue.” – from Mauri Ora: Wisdom From the Māori World “The best way to remember your wife’s birthday is to forget it once.” – author E Joseph Cossman “Never give up. Persistence brings its own reward.” – Helen Clark “You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” – Oscar Wilde “Better a witty fool…