It's not a feel-good movie. It's a feel-frustrated, get-mad film about farming, farmers, regional councils, cattle, shit and what Grant John Muir describes as 'eco-rapists'.
The movie is 25 minutes long and rather dark. There's a website where you can view a trailer and get in touch with the film-makers and with Grant, if you'd like to help him. He needs surely needs it.
4 comments:
I will endeavour to watch this Bobby, I feel an affinity to it already.
May get some ideas for raising awarness in my own area.
Lofty - it's an infuriating tale of the abuse of a river by farmers and the Wellington Regional Council, seemingly. I doubt you'll be able to watch it without getting riled-up. The lack of action from almost all concerned is disturbing, as is the bullying and procrastination.
You know what infuriates me the most Bobby? Iy is the fact that we can intensify existing dairy farms as well as establish new ones, with seemingly no consideration given to runoff, beasts in the water etc.
In the case of the Taharua river, a small tributary of the mighty Mohaka, action is being taken by the Hawkes bay Regional Council, but best estimates are at least 5 years before we see any reduction in nutrient loss. Yet we had immediate loss and that must have been deemed OK at the new Crafar 3 farm establishment in 1999ish.
We now have raised nitrogen levels and high algal growth in bothe the Taharua and Mohaka down stream from the confluence.
A crying shame.
Question if possible please: what is the normal concent process for the establishment of dairy farms through out NZ, I s it standard or does it vary from council to council? God how I want to rave on but enough for this post.
Consent conditions are very different between councils Lofty and you sound as though you are in an area where they are very weak. Southland's are the strongest and getting strengthened significantly right now - that's what I'm engaged in now. The 'industry', as you'd expect, is mobilised to counter any moves they see as threatening their profitability imho. Today's Opinion piece from Fish and Game tells all and I'll post it later in the afternoon for you to decide for yourself. Around the country, and especially in the case of River Dog, there criminal activity of the environmental kind, being enacted daily. Pushing for regulation is one (slow) way to progress. Creative thinking is required Lofty, if you are faced by damaging practices. The game is fraught now. Intensification amplifies the issue to such an extent and speed that old processes (regulation. collaboration etc) cannot keep up with the rate of degradation. Local solutions to local issues, I reckon. And get someone like yourself onto your regional council :-)
I'd like very much to hear the details of your situation, re the river.
Post a Comment