"New Zealand Stinks"

**Biff** · 4th May 2005, 23:43

I was really alarmed when I flew back in to NZ the other week. We flew over the southern alps and the American tourists sat behind me were full of "ooohs" and "ahhhs". It was a beautiful sight. Then we dropped down over Christchurch. "What the hell is that?" I heard a voice behind me ask. "Holy cow - I think it's smog".

What the Americans had witnessed was the shitty brown haze created by log burners polluting the atmosphere. I was embarrassed for this country because of the Americans obvious horror.

New Zealand is portrayed as such a beautiful clean place, yet most of us are guilty of either owning a log burner (which burn wood which comes from trees as if you didn't you know. And thousands if not tens of thousands of trees every year. Shame) or driving around in big engined, un-economical, thirsty gas guzzlers. Legislation here being decades behind many of the world 'advanced' nations in terms of restrictions on air pollution, vehicle emissions and tax penalties for lung clogging, big engined motors.

I spoke with a colleague of mine in the UK 20 minutes ago, also an American. I asked him what he thought of NZ during his recent stay in ChCh. "It stinks" he said. “And all of the guys in the office both here and in north America think it stinks, in the winter at least". He continued, “I couldn't even go for a walk in the evening without half chocking to death. And my clothes stank." I can only agree with him. Having just walked my dog I now stink of wood burner smoke. And I live in a semi rural area outside of the main city.

Is it like this throughout NZ? Or is it just that ChCh is in a bowl, so that this shitty, toxic haze tends to hang about like a rancid fart? Why the fuck do we burn so many trees here?

I've also just come accross a web site that states that NZ has the worst ashma rate in the world per head of population!!!!!!!!! No shit!

**Waylander** · 4th May 2005, 23:49

Funny how I have never been able to breath easier. The smog and crap smeels worse in Dallas than Auckland and Wellington (havn't been to Cheistchurch yet but maybe next summer...) and Dallas isn't very big compared to L.A, New York, San Francisco, and others. Been to all three and I could hardly breath in the big cities in the states. Maybe you're right, maybe it is just Chch.:spudwhat:

**John** · 4th May 2005, 23:51

Wow, are you sure it wasnt from a fire or something - I never knew it was that bad, althought riding into auckland is horrible the stink of fumes and chemicals burns your nostrials

**Biff** · 4th May 2005, 23:51

Originally Posted by Waylander

Funny how I have never been able to breath easier. The smog and crap smeels worse in Dallas than Auckland and Wellington (havn't been to Cheistchurch yet but maybe next summer...) and Dallas isn't very big compared to L.A, New York, San Francisco, and others. Been to all three and I could hardly breath in the big cities in the states. Maybe you're right, maybe it is just Chch.:spudwhat:

I've been to Houston - stinks & LA - stinks. Never been to Auckland though. And I guess it's a seasonal thing.

Originally Posted by John

Wow, are you sure it wasnt from a fire or something - I never knew it was that bad, althought riding into auckland is horrible the stink of fumes and chemicals burns your nostrials

No - definately not a fire. It's the same virtually every cold evening here. People stoke up their wood burners and everyone outside gets a lung full.

**Waylander** · 4th May 2005, 23:57

Originally Posted by Biff Baff

I've been to Houston - stinks & LA - stinks. Never been to Auckland though. And I guess it's a seasonal thing.

Yea Houston is pretty bad. They have the oil refineries and the fishing docks so it gets pretty bad.

**Slipstream** · 5th May 2005, 00:09

Originally Posted by Biff Baff

Is it like this throughout NZ? Or is it just that ChCh is in a bowl, so that this shitty, toxic haze tends to hang about like a rancid fart?

Actually....Chch doesn't get as much wind cos its flat and stuff. Wgtn doesn't get smog cos the wind blows it away and Auckland doesn't get as much cos it has hills with up drafts and stuff.....
sorry man...
I've been told by some travelers that Chch is our LA equivalent in that area.

**Big Dave** · 5th May 2005, 00:12

I though Auckland was pretty good - it all blows away.
But I'm from Sydney, which is surrounded by mountains (Kiwis call them hills) - but the sky can get a heavy layer of brown after a few calm days.

**idb** · 5th May 2005, 00:16

Originally Posted by Slipstream

Actually....Chch doesn't get as much wind cos its flat and stuff. Wgtn doesn't get smog cos the wind blows it away and Auckland doesn't get as much cos it has hills with up drafts and stuff.....
sorry man...
I've been told by some travelers that Chch is our LA equivalent in that area.

It's pretty at sunset...or on a full moon.

**danb** · 5th May 2005, 00:16

After visiting Canada and the US, why don’t NZ'ers use Furniss like they do, It all runs on gas and creates a lot less pollution (Not that it solves the long term problems, greenhouse etc). The Furniss’s are pretty efficient - only turn on when the temp is to low or you want it on, and it heats the whole house to the same temp.

When I spoke to one of the locals that bad been to New Zealand – They said they had never been so cold in a house before in the middle of winter with a fireplace.

I hate the fact with the house Im in now, by the morning when you most want the heat the house is cold because the fire burnt out by the morning, and It’s at one end of the house therefore the bedrooms are cold.

Cant Win!!

Yea im in the same situation - I do no sports or anything like that so bikes fix that

At the end on the month I shall have a look for the movies etc posted on here and see if they are on DC++, I have done it before (How I got ghost rider etc)but didn’t have much success.

How many people on here have Internal Heating? And what company’s provide it here in New Zealand? - Something to think about when I want to get or build a house

**Waylander** · 5th May 2005, 00:19

Internal heating a cooling. One more thing I miss, but I can go without it. I just throw an extra down feather blanket on the bed.

**danb** · 5th May 2005, 00:25

Originally Posted by Waylander

Internal heating a cooling. One more thing I miss, but I can go without it. I just throw an extra down feather blanket on the bed.

How many people on here have Internal Heating? And what company’s provide it here in New Zealand? - Something to think about when I want to get or build a house

**N4CR** · 5th May 2005, 00:45

Originally Posted by danb

After visiting Canada and the US, why don’t NZ'ers use Furriness like they do, It all runs on gas and creates a lot less pollution (Not that it solves the long term problems, greenhouse etc). The Furriness are pretty efficient - only turn on when the temp is to low or you want it on, and it heats the whole house to the same temp.

Do you have a bad case of furriness? Or is there a furrmess or something?

Gas is running out.. we will be burning furniture next anyway no doubt.

**John** · 5th May 2005, 00:47

Originally Posted by danb

How many people on here have Internal Heating? And what company’s provide it here in New Zealand? - Something to think about when I want to get or build a house

Might want to get out of your parents house before you get ahead of yourself.

00:56 danb

Modifying Post

The problem is dampness, and the heaters that people use just make it worse, what we really need is a smart population - as if that will happen.

**Waylander** · 5th May 2005, 00:49

Originally Posted by tristank

Do you have a bad case of furriness? Or is there a furrmess or something?

Gas is running out.. we will be burning furniture next anyway no doubt.

Most in home gas heaters run on methane wich is very easily replaced last time I checked. Just ask Riff Raff. But then that wont exactly fix the smell problem....