Russel Norman
@russelnorman.bsky.social
Father, partner, gardener, swimmer, environmental advocate, lover of life on Earth.
Pinned
Russel Norman
@russelnorman.bsky.social
· Mar 13
'If we approach nature without openness to awe and wonder, if we no longer speak the language of fraternity and beauty in our relationship with the world, our attitude will be that of masters, consumers, ruthless exploiters, unable to set limits on their immediate needs.' Pope Francis Laudato Si
It’s good Auckland Council are trying to stop contaminants from getting into waterways. The irony is that central govt just changed the law to make is legal for agribusiness to discharge massive volumes of pollution to waterways. environment.govt.nz/assets/publi... www.rnz.co.nz/news/chinese...
Washing your car at home may attract a hefty fine
Car owners face a $1500 fine for discharging soapy run-off into stormwater systems.
www.rnz.co.nz
January 6, 2026 at 6:37 PM
It’s good Auckland Council are trying to stop contaminants from getting into waterways. The irony is that central govt just changed the law to make is legal for agribusiness to discharge massive volumes of pollution to waterways. environment.govt.nz/assets/publi... www.rnz.co.nz/news/chinese...
Billionaires and private jets are a sign of poliicy failure and corruption of democracy . www.stuff.co.nz/travel/36092...
Private jets’ noise like ‘neighbour starting up a chainsaw’
Arrivals and departures at 11.30pm and 4am have left residents less than thrilled, prompting calls for noisy night time flights to be completely scrapped.
www.stuff.co.nz
January 6, 2026 at 8:24 AM
Billionaires and private jets are a sign of poliicy failure and corruption of democracy . www.stuff.co.nz/travel/36092...
Reposted by Russel Norman
There is magic in life on earth: rainforests , orangutans , birds of paradise. But they are being fed into the chipper to feed dairy cows on palm kernel. Let protect life on earth and not leave a wasteland for generations to come. www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3606...
Greenpeace make protest against Fonterra
Greenpeace protestors prevent shipment of palm kernel at Port Taranaki on Sunday.
www.stuff.co.nz
April 6, 2025 at 5:20 AM
There is magic in life on earth: rainforests , orangutans , birds of paradise. But they are being fed into the chipper to feed dairy cows on palm kernel. Let protect life on earth and not leave a wasteland for generations to come. www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3606...
Reposted by Russel Norman
This article spends THIRTY THREE PARAGRAPHS quoting mostly reactionaries and genocide activists before conceding, in the thirty fourth paragraph, that Jews and Jewish organizations that helped get Mamdani into office support this decision
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/04/n...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/04/n...
January 4, 2026 at 7:53 PM
This article spends THIRTY THREE PARAGRAPHS quoting mostly reactionaries and genocide activists before conceding, in the thirty fourth paragraph, that Jews and Jewish organizations that helped get Mamdani into office support this decision
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/04/n...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/04/n...
A big swim, campaigning against a big problem www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-adv... Jono Ridler plans 1600km North Cape to Wellington swim to end bottom trawling
Swimmer’s 1600km mission to end bottom trawling and protect the ocean
The 35-year-old plans to swim up to 30km a day for roughly 90 days.
www.nzherald.co.nz
January 5, 2026 at 12:37 AM
A big swim, campaigning against a big problem www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-adv... Jono Ridler plans 1600km North Cape to Wellington swim to end bottom trawling
Reposted by Russel Norman
The IVL was introduced to help manage the impacts of ballooning tourist numbers. So why is it instead funding millions in marketing to lure even more int’l visitors, while DOC warns conservation is about to go backwards, & tourist towns can't afford to upgrade toilets. #nzpol
archive.ph/oxxSY
archive.ph/oxxSY
January 4, 2026 at 9:52 PM
The IVL was introduced to help manage the impacts of ballooning tourist numbers. So why is it instead funding millions in marketing to lure even more int’l visitors, while DOC warns conservation is about to go backwards, & tourist towns can't afford to upgrade toilets. #nzpol
archive.ph/oxxSY
archive.ph/oxxSY
The solar panel is the new peace sign open.substack.com/pub/billmcki...
Just possibly it's the oil?
A solar panel is the new peace sign
open.substack.com
January 4, 2026 at 12:56 AM
The solar panel is the new peace sign open.substack.com/pub/billmcki...
This is how @fonterranz.bsky.social gets palm kernel to feed its dairy cows in NZ
The saddest video I've ever seen😢
Sadness As An Orangutan Tries To Fight The Digger Destroying Its Habitat
YouTube video by Protect All Wildlife
youtu.be
January 3, 2026 at 3:36 AM
This is how @fonterranz.bsky.social gets palm kernel to feed its dairy cows in NZ
The cognitive dissonance- people at Auckland Zoo love the orangutans. Meanwhile NZ Dairy industry imports millions of tonnes of palm kernel, product of the palm industry that is destroying orangutan habitat.
January 2, 2026 at 11:50 PM
The cognitive dissonance- people at Auckland Zoo love the orangutans. Meanwhile NZ Dairy industry imports millions of tonnes of palm kernel, product of the palm industry that is destroying orangutan habitat.
Danish Govt to lower acceptable nitrate levels in drinking water, following rec from expert panel. They have similar issues to NZ - intensive agribusiness putting nitrates into groundwater, increasing colorectal cancer risks. projects.au.dk/marches/news...
International experts recommend lower limit value for nitrate in drinking water
projects.au.dk
December 31, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Danish Govt to lower acceptable nitrate levels in drinking water, following rec from expert panel. They have similar issues to NZ - intensive agribusiness putting nitrates into groundwater, increasing colorectal cancer risks. projects.au.dk/marches/news...
Reposted by Russel Norman
The Luxon Govt abandoned the orderly transition off fossil gas because they believed in fairies at the bottom of the garden - magical gas would somehow appear. So now we are in the middle of a disorderly transition. Idiocy. www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-dept...
Lost in transition: The businesses trapped by New Zealand’s energy crisis
Behind the nation's energy crisis are businesses quietly fighting to survive - many feel they have nothing but bad options.
www.rnz.co.nz
December 10, 2025 at 8:58 PM
The Luxon Govt abandoned the orderly transition off fossil gas because they believed in fairies at the bottom of the garden - magical gas would somehow appear. So now we are in the middle of a disorderly transition. Idiocy. www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-dept...
The Luxon Govt continues to drive away offshore wind investors, as effectively as it drives NZers to leave the country. newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/12/o...
Offshore wind firm exits NZ as seabed mine seeks consent
An offshore wind developer warned the Taranaki seabed mine would render its planned farm unviable. Now it is closing up shop in NZ.
newsroom.co.nz
December 11, 2025 at 8:14 PM
The Luxon Govt continues to drive away offshore wind investors, as effectively as it drives NZers to leave the country. newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/12/o...
Reposted by Russel Norman
In today’s NZ Herald
December 11, 2025 at 6:11 PM
In today’s NZ Herald
Reposted by Russel Norman
IREX was ditched by Nicola Willis MP because of apparent cost blow outs leaving us with the TEMU option...
So Roads of National Significance are facing even bigger blow outs for projects that have a smaller Benefit Cost Ratio than IREX are not facing the same ditching or downscaling because?
So Roads of National Significance are facing even bigger blow outs for projects that have a smaller Benefit Cost Ratio than IREX are not facing the same ditching or downscaling because?
Tens of billions: Why the bill for planned Roads of National Significance keeps going up
Latest estimates put the cost at 23 times that of Dunedin Hospital's rebuild - but why has the bill gone up so much?
www.rnz.co.nz
December 11, 2025 at 6:03 PM
IREX was ditched by Nicola Willis MP because of apparent cost blow outs leaving us with the TEMU option...
So Roads of National Significance are facing even bigger blow outs for projects that have a smaller Benefit Cost Ratio than IREX are not facing the same ditching or downscaling because?
So Roads of National Significance are facing even bigger blow outs for projects that have a smaller Benefit Cost Ratio than IREX are not facing the same ditching or downscaling because?
Reposted by Russel Norman
How many times do we need to point this out?
By appeasing the far right, you do not weaken it. You strengthen it.
While weakening your own position.
There's a vast amount of academic research showing this.
But Labour will not listen.
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
By appeasing the far right, you do not weaken it. You strengthen it.
While weakening your own position.
There's a vast amount of academic research showing this.
But Labour will not listen.
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
Starmer urges Europe’s leaders to curb ECHR to halt rise of far right
Exclusive: PM calls for members of European convention on human rights to allow tougher action to protect borders
www.theguardian.com
December 10, 2025 at 10:56 AM
How many times do we need to point this out?
By appeasing the far right, you do not weaken it. You strengthen it.
While weakening your own position.
There's a vast amount of academic research showing this.
But Labour will not listen.
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
By appeasing the far right, you do not weaken it. You strengthen it.
While weakening your own position.
There's a vast amount of academic research showing this.
But Labour will not listen.
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
Irrigation for agribusiness resulted in groundwater dropping in sand dune country near Bulls. Regional council tried to place restrictions to protect groundwater, but agribusiness is fighting back. Bishop's RMA changes gives irrigators more power, regulators less. www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/sto...
www.greenpeace.org
December 10, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Irrigation for agribusiness resulted in groundwater dropping in sand dune country near Bulls. Regional council tried to place restrictions to protect groundwater, but agribusiness is fighting back. Bishop's RMA changes gives irrigators more power, regulators less. www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/sto...
The Luxon Govt abandoned the orderly transition off fossil gas because they believed in fairies at the bottom of the garden - magical gas would somehow appear. So now we are in the middle of a disorderly transition. Idiocy. www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-dept...
Lost in transition: The businesses trapped by New Zealand’s energy crisis
Behind the nation's energy crisis are businesses quietly fighting to survive - many feel they have nothing but bad options.
www.rnz.co.nz
December 10, 2025 at 8:58 PM
The Luxon Govt abandoned the orderly transition off fossil gas because they believed in fairies at the bottom of the garden - magical gas would somehow appear. So now we are in the middle of a disorderly transition. Idiocy. www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-dept...
Reposted by Russel Norman
There is so much bs about the RMA, I thought it would help to look at actual case study so people can really understand what is at stake. It involves the MP with the wealthiest property portfolio in Parliament, Suze Redmayne, and irrigation for dairy on sand dunes www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/sto...
Can’t see the water for the well - crony capitalism and the RMA - Greenpeace Aotearoa
Dr. Russel Norman
www.greenpeace.org
December 10, 2025 at 10:33 AM
There is so much bs about the RMA, I thought it would help to look at actual case study so people can really understand what is at stake. It involves the MP with the wealthiest property portfolio in Parliament, Suze Redmayne, and irrigation for dairy on sand dunes www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/sto...
Reposted by Russel Norman
There is one overriding political problem, from which all others follow. Until it is addressed, every policy advanced by governments is window dressing.
www.theguardian.com/inequality/2...
www.theguardian.com/inequality/2...
Just 0.001% hold three times the wealth of poorest half of humanity, report finds
Data from World Inequality Report also showed top 10% of income-earners earn more than the other 90%
www.theguardian.com
December 10, 2025 at 7:09 AM
There is one overriding political problem, from which all others follow. Until it is addressed, every policy advanced by governments is window dressing.
www.theguardian.com/inequality/2...
www.theguardian.com/inequality/2...
Big year for Denisovans www.newscientist.com/article/2507...
2025 was chock full of exciting discoveries in human evolution
From an incredible series of revelations about the ancient humans called Denisovans to surprising discoveries about tool making, this year has given us a clearer picture of how and why humans evolved ...
www.newscientist.com
December 10, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Big year for Denisovans www.newscientist.com/article/2507...
There is so much bs about the RMA, I thought it would help to look at actual case study so people can really understand what is at stake. It involves the MP with the wealthiest property portfolio in Parliament, Suze Redmayne, and irrigation for dairy on sand dunes www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/sto...
Can’t see the water for the well - crony capitalism and the RMA - Greenpeace Aotearoa
Dr. Russel Norman
www.greenpeace.org
December 10, 2025 at 10:33 AM
There is so much bs about the RMA, I thought it would help to look at actual case study so people can really understand what is at stake. It involves the MP with the wealthiest property portfolio in Parliament, Suze Redmayne, and irrigation for dairy on sand dunes www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/sto...
Bishop is trashing environmental protection laws while Watts is trashing climate laws
December 10, 2025 at 6:09 AM
Bishop is trashing environmental protection laws while Watts is trashing climate laws
Criminal. newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/10/g...
Govt to rush climate target change through Parliament under urgency
The public will not have their say on the Govt's weakening of the methane target, even though it could raise household bills by $270 a year.
newsroom.co.nz
December 10, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Criminal. newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/10/g...
Depressing to see @henrycooke.bsky.social repeating nonsense about housing and the RMA: "Essentially we all stopped building new housing in recent decades". This is total nonsense - there has been a massive boom in housing builds, especially in Auckland after the 2016 unitary plan. Evidence:
December 9, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Depressing to see @henrycooke.bsky.social repeating nonsense about housing and the RMA: "Essentially we all stopped building new housing in recent decades". This is total nonsense - there has been a massive boom in housing builds, especially in Auckland after the 2016 unitary plan. Evidence: