The Daily Blog Open Mic – Tuesday – 28 December 2021

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Announce protest actions, general chit chat or give your opinion on issues we haven’t covered for the day.

Moderation rules are more lenient for this section, but try and play nicely.

EDITORS NOTE: – By the way, here’s a list of shit that will get your comment dumped. Sexist language, homophobic language, racist language, anti-muslim hate, transphobic language, Chemtrails, 9/11 truthers, Qanon lunacy, climate deniers, anti-fluoride fanatics, anti-vaxxer lunatics, 5G conspiracy theories, the virus is a bioweapon, some weird bullshit about the UN taking over the world  and ANYONE that links to fucking infowar.

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8 COMMENTS

  2. Is there space for observers short comment, written questions/comment? Can we leave this important question to people of whom so many have been wankers?
    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/458715/housing-crisis-climate-on-agenda-at-urban-planners-conference

    …New Zealand Planning Institute chief executive David Curtis said efforts to tackle housing affordability required strategic thinking, creative ideas and new philosophies.
    “We need to deliver what society wants, which requires planners to consider more than just current market forces, and that involves increased community engagement and inclusion,” he said…

    Bipartisan legislation passed in Parliament this month in favour of housing densification, to counter urban sprawl and boost supply by up to 105,000 new homes in the next eight years.
    Curtis said he supported the intent of the legislation, which lets councils allow up to three, three-storey houses on most sections in big cities – Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton, Tauranga and Christchurch – without a resource consent.

    “There is a risk that there could be some poor housing outcomes, but equally, there could be some really good housing outcomes,” he said.
    “Urban sprawl is not the answer. We cannot just keep growing our cities bigger and bigger and bigger. It’s not sustainable.”

    What is not sustainable is the large number of immigrants increasing demand. Trying to control that has a risk, as having poor housing outcomes does. Going high, over three stories or four levels before having a lift – discuss? The mental effect on those who don’t choose high rise – isolation, sadness – discuss.
    The having black roofs on everything – but knowing where to put light and where dark roofs for maximum value to individual and to thermal values – discuss.
    The no space around dwelling, no sunlight, no parking, no extra room allowing for hobbies, sleeping over for family, friends – discuss.
    The appearance of houses, most portentuous with soaring pillars like entrances to financial ‘houses’, or like lean-to toilets on side of a colonial house – discuss
    Shade ledges, eaves, verandahs, covered areas not being incorporated when we know that heat and long sunny, baking periods will be more frequent – discuss
    Thermal values, are they understood – discuss.
    (https://thefifthestate.com.au/innovation/design/cool-roofs-versus-dark-roofs-special-report/
    https://www.abcb.gov.au/news/2021/how-find-your-way-around-our-new-website
    https://www.yourhome.gov.au/
    plus
    A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that in the absence of adaptive urban design, and separate from climate change, urban expansion was going to increase average temperatures by 1-2°C across large swathes of America.
    Think about urban heat islands if haven’t already.)

  5. Should we be considering painting our roads a lighter shade like Grey both for night time visibility and more importantly to lessen its heat effects on wildlife (especially insects) and the environment?

  6. Interesting thought about roads, heat and wildlife – there is a lot of land tied up in them too. There are corridors being planted to extend bird movement or flowering or fruiting for wildlife use. Could we plant trees along roads that would provide shade and habitat and add to our goals of using trees to balance fossil burning etc.?

    And further, recently I saw how flat roofed houses were painted with white paint to bring the temperature down in the house below and on the roof itself where people slept at night to enjoy the cool air. The rise in temperature had taken the heat so high during the day that the roof areas were unusable. The houseowners painted the roofs white – eureka. It was very effective – they can now use their roofs again.

  7. Also I’ll just drop in some names, while thinking about heat and climate, Wendy Campbell Purdie, a NZ who was fired up to join a group trying to hold back the desert and got up and did something herself. She died about 1980s – did great work in unpromising ground in Bou Saada, Algeria.
    She and locals planted trees giving them initial care, and soon were able to plant vegetables in their shade.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Campbell-Purdie

    Was inspired by, Richard St Barbe Baker. who started Men of the Trees.
    https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/man-of-the-trees-1981
    A Leon Narbey-directed documentary about English conservationist Richard St Barbe Baker. ‘St Barbe’ (here aged 92) is interviewed at a South Island station where he presciently warns of desertification and laments the earth being “skinned alive”. The visionary tree-planting advocate founded the organisation Men of the Trees (now the International Tree Foundation) to promote reforestation and protect trees, from 5000-year-old bristlecone pines to giant kauri. The film includes the inspiring St Barbe’s tree-hugging exercise /i>regime: two minutes morning and night.

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