http://blog.greens.org.nz hopping along the corridors of power Fri, 16 May 2008 19:31:59 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Today's Fairfax Media poll brings the theory that Labour was turning its fortunes around into serious question. I enjoyed this quote from the Dominion Post: Prime Minister Helen Clark, who is in South Korea, could not be contacted for comment. I guess she hasn't given it much thought , eh? The Greens are ... http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/05/17/labours-fairfax-rout/ The folks at Forest and Bird have put together a lovely video of a rafting trip down the Mokihinui River. I commend them and their efforts to save the Mokihinui from destruction. Should we damn the river and its environs by building a dam? Is building hydro power a reversible decision? ... http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/05/16/the-latest-from-the-mokihinui-river/ Here's a few Friday links. The US Congress has just approved a US$290 billion Farm Bill that gives lucrative subsidies to farmers and cuts international aid programmes. By diverting subsidies and benefits to powerful agricultural industries such as sugar, dairy, timber and salmon, authors of the bill ensured support from ... http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/05/16/the-whole-gamut-food-subsidies-genetic-engineering-oil-prices-and-wind-turbines/ It seems some combination of the price falling out of the heroin market and rapidly rising world food prices means that Afghan farmer are converting from poppy growing to wheat. Poor old United States with its multi billion dollar 'war on drugs' - all it had to do the ... http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/05/16/more-valuable-than-heroin/ Federated Farmers have just released an interesting report on the share of profit that farmers get from the retail price of food.  [T]he farm price for wheat in 2008 was 16 percent of the cost of a loaf of bread. Of a 20-slice loaf of bread the farm share accounted ... http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/05/15/the-farmers-share/ Housing New Zealand owns and maintains about 68,600 houses throughout New Zealand.  Many of these properties were built before 1978, prior to insulation becoming mandatory. Many of these homes have poor or no insulation and inefficient heating such as open fires. Housing New Zealand has been running a programme to progressively retrofit ... http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/05/15/21000-warmer-state-homes/ Every once in while someone comes up with a nifty new idea that's going to save us from facing up to global warming and solving it the old fashioned 'hard work' way.  Last week we had Helen Clark's Emissions Trading Scheme that exempts most major polluters.  Previously some of you ... http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/05/15/science-solves-global-warming-2/ The Canadian Greens blog is seeking suggestions for a campaign theme song for their upcoming election.  The Canadian Greens are on a bit of high at the moment with their increasingly respected leader Elizabeth May and their song reflects that up beat North American ‘straight to the point' sort of ... http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/05/15/campaign-theme-song/ One of the Green Party’s high ranking new candidates may be a new face to many.  Luckily 26 year old Gareth Hughes already has a very significant internet presence so it’s easy to research a lot about him.  As well as the ubiquitous Vote Gareth website he is the blogger ... http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/05/14/the-many-faces-of-gareth-hughes/ Is there anyone out there that wants to start manufacturing some of these Magic Wheels in New Zealand?  I think you might have a few pre-sales here on the 8th floor of Bowen House.  Imagine the traffic jams I could leave in my wake going along Jervois Quay. Hat tip – ... http://blog.greens.org.nz/index.php/2008/05/14/a-carbon-free-saudi-nightmare/