When we go deep down to the roots of the problem of this planet, we discover that animal agriculture is one of the main causes. According to various studies including a report from the UN, livestock and their by-products account for at least 32,000 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, or 51 per cent of all world greenhouse gas emissions.

Some facts: Methane is 25-100 times more destructive than CO2 on a 20-year time frame. Cows produce 150 billion gallons of methane per day.

Water: 477 gallons of water are required to produce 1lb of eggs; almost 900 gallons of water for 1lb of cheese; 1000 gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of milk. Five per cent of water consumed in the US is by private homes. Fifty-five per cent of water is consumed for animal agriculture.

Land: Livestock or livestock feed occupies one-third of the earth's ice-free land.

Rainforest: Animal agriculture is responsible for approximately 91 per cent of Amazon destruction for livestock and feed crops.

Humanity: Worldwide, at least 50 per cent of grain is fed to livestock; 82 per cent of starving children live in countries where food is fed to animals that are eaten by western countries.

Who wants to rescue the planet? Answer: those who have a plant-based diet. Food for thought for all animal consumers.

The excellent, award-winning film 'The Australian Dream', showing currently in Merimbula, illustrates clearly the hurt that Aborigines of this country feel every day due to racist insults. It is the story of a young Indigenous boy from South Australia who loved playing football or 'marngrook'. He grew to be a brilliant player with the Swans. A 'proud Adnyamathanha' man, he twice won the Brownlow Medal and was made Australian of the Year in 2014. His name is Adam Goodes.

Having faced insults throughout his young life because of his mixed heritage, he often spoke out for better race relations and reconciliation. However, as has been well publicised, in 2015 Goodes, hurt and broken, walked away from the game he loved.

A thoughtless comment from a 13-year-old girl in the crowd, calling Goodes an "ape" led to a tirade of booing and abuse from the whole crowd and the media, because he called it out and demanded she be ejected. Even though the girl apologised and Goodes requested she not be vilified, each time he played the relentless booing became too much, sounding "like a howl of humiliation that echoed across two centuries of dispossession, injustice, suffering and survival", as Stan Grant described.

Reckless, thoughtless racist comments, whether made vindictively or as a joke should have no place in our society today if we are truly serious about reconciling with the people whose country we took over. Whose people we massacred, whose children we stole and who still suffer the indignities of the underclass.

The people of the First Nation of this country are proud of their culture and their country that they nurtured for 60,000 years. We need to listen to their stories, learn the truth about our combined history of the last 230 years and walk with them towards the future, together.

As a resident of Berrambool Drive it seems to me that nobody has pointed out that if there is a fire in the bush behind Berrambool Drive (as there was during the Tathra bushfires) residents will be trapped with no other way out than through Camilla Court. Will it take a tragedy to change minds and stop us being selfish about traffic noise and for council to upgrade this exit?

Open letter to the mayor Kristy McBain: I am writing to you as a resident of Mirador, regarding the ongoing issue of access from Mirador, in the case of fire requiring evacuation of residents.

As you are aware, there is one road into and out of Mirador. Also, as you are aware, there is a road between Camilla Court and Berrambool Drive, presently closed by two locked gates. This road, at the Camilla Court end requires urgent upgrading if it is to be used for any purpose at all, with the exception of a bush walk.

It would be very questionable whether emergency vehicles would be able to drive up this road at present. It would be reassuring to know who in fact holds the keys to the gates and who would be responsible for opening said gates and in what circumstances this might occur.

There is no two-way access, so passing each other would be out of the question. This road is to be used in the case of emergency, as is well known.

The hysteria displayed by some members of our community at the possibility of reopening the road for emergency access is beyond belief. It would appear that for some inexplicable reason they feel they will not be impacted by the possibility of having to evacuate. We have been urged by this vocal minority that those wishing to achieve some safety for themselves should move out!

Councillor McBain, we need some certainty from council as far as our safety is concerned. The bushfire plan we have made depends on having access to a reasonable road, to enable us to get to Berrambool Oval. I have written many letters to council which in reply have not dealt with the problems.