Beware the quick fix. OK that sounded a bit drastic, but think about it for a sec. How much money is going in to advertisements and programs telling us to consume less and live in freezing dwellings and go out and buy all sorts of "energy saving" devices? And how much money is going into revising the building codes? How much money is going into creating community geothermal resources? How much money is going into credits for retrofitting older structures to enable new GREEN technology? Ummmmm ..... zip?
Why not ask your local politician about these things next time he/she lectures you about turning down the heat and watering your petunias?
Environmental housing starts from the inside out. Politicians should make changing the building code their first priority. Plan for the future. In my area, R20 is considered normal insulation. Why not make it R40? That alone would reduce heating and cooling costs. Solar technology is coming fast, but few buildings can supports the extra load. Why not change the code to double the load capacity of roofs?
The cynic would way it is because developers are the main contributors to local politicians. Developers do not want extra costs. But what about the Environmental Impact On Housing? That is left up to the poor sucker who buys the substandard housing and has to rebuild the place over the years.
You move in and strut about a bit and feel king of the castle for a day or two. Then you find that you are evil. Who knew? Opinion about the environmental impact of housing and the urban sprawl make you the victim of every special interest group.
"You are wasting electricity...better spend a few thousand and increase insulation. You are wasting water. Better go find a rain barrel or two and get a permit to build a reservoir and dig up the front yard. You are spewing pollutants during your commute...oh, better buy an electric car to take you to the park & ride which is miles away and only runs certain hours ...if they feel like it. Forget taking a bus, no bus service connects to the commuter service. Sorry.....oh but you have to pay extra insurance on the vehicle since you are technically using it to commute to work.
Ummm did we mention that you are evil and selfish for wanting to live in a quiet area, surrounded by nature and away from the constant din and smell of downtown? I'm sure there is a pamphlet around here.....we just got a government grant to print up a bunch.
You should be downtown in our high density enviromental housing.......oh, but don't bring the kids....too noisy...disturbs our dogs. Besides the dogs have all the green space designated to them as free run areas. Kids just get in the way. David Suzuki? Oh no he doesn't live here. Are you kidding? He lives by the sea in a Ritzy Kitzy Area. You don't expect him to put up with all this do you?
HAH! AL GORE?
You almost made me choke on my matcha tea frappe! Of course he doesn't live here. He lives on his estate....when he is not flying around the world. Oh that reminds me, we are all turning our lights off for a month to offset his carbon footprint....it is the least we can do. Care to join?"
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Eco-Density = Warehousing People to Save the Planet
Beware of social planners. In fact, beware of ANY planners. They tend to be those who "know best". Hmmmm does this sound familiar? Any Lenin's come to mind? ( Hint: Not John ) I'll come back to that thought later.
Eco Density is being promoted by all sorts of "planners" out there. It will save the earth. It will conserve resources. It will keep rich farm land productive. It will help make the delivery of services efficient and economical. It will create a perfect world! Or will it?
It will jam thousands of people into close proximity. It will reduce the living area of a family into 800 square feet and make them pay over $400,000 for it. It will reduce choices by restricting mobility, so groceries will cost whatever the vendors want to charge. It will increase noise levels and affect sleep and mental health. And most importantly, it will isolate Humans from Nature.
Oh that is very green.
Let us save nature by warehousing people. Now where have we seen this experiment before?
Does the word " projects" ring a bell?
How about the ugly concrete " people's housing" the soviets constructed after they ran everyone off their land?
Oh you may think I'm sounding extreme and paranoid. But history has a great store of times when the good intentioned elite intellectuals fell in with the power hungry. I hear the same retoric today.
To the elite, people are a problem and at best a disposable renewable resource. Is that how you see yourself? Are you huddled in you cold winter room under the erie glow of florescents and watching ads for a brilliant Las Vegas nirvana? Let's see....you feel guilty turning on a light in another room.......they....oh! They don't seem to feel guilty at all!!!!!!!!! What is it that really makes you feel alive?
Many have said that being in touch with nature has sustained and renewed them. How many successful therapies are based on reconnecting people with nature? Many. More than any other technique. We are told that our mission is to preserve, protect, and nurture nature.......but not to interact with it except in officially prescribed doses and under strict supervision.
Sacrifice is the call. Guilt is the whip. Fear is the goad.
Where is fullness of life?
Where is the exultation of communion?
It is where the "planners" want it to be........in a documentary on your HDTV screen.
Eco density is a way to take people out of nature. It is a concept built on the belief that man is separate from nature. Oh! Isn't that how we got here in the first place?
SOLUTIONS:
OK It is not fair to rail against an idea without offering alternatives.
I'll put some of my ideas on other posts but here is a quick summary.
Spread people out and make their dwellings constructed in tune with nature.
Use satellite village models where goods can be moved into hubs using energy efficient transport.
Start the idea of "Victory Gardens" again.
I'll go on in other posts, but instead of warehousing people through ecodensity, let them integrate back into nature with proper building codes ( and yes) development plans.
Also a quick note on commuting. Planners are too old! Web 2.0 is here. All your kids are electronically connected. This is the future. Use it.
OK this is as long a post as I want to go. I'll fill in more later.
Leave a comment if you found this interesting.
Colin
Eco Density is being promoted by all sorts of "planners" out there. It will save the earth. It will conserve resources. It will keep rich farm land productive. It will help make the delivery of services efficient and economical. It will create a perfect world! Or will it?
It will jam thousands of people into close proximity. It will reduce the living area of a family into 800 square feet and make them pay over $400,000 for it. It will reduce choices by restricting mobility, so groceries will cost whatever the vendors want to charge. It will increase noise levels and affect sleep and mental health. And most importantly, it will isolate Humans from Nature.
Oh that is very green.
Let us save nature by warehousing people. Now where have we seen this experiment before?
Does the word " projects" ring a bell?
How about the ugly concrete " people's housing" the soviets constructed after they ran everyone off their land?
Oh you may think I'm sounding extreme and paranoid. But history has a great store of times when the good intentioned elite intellectuals fell in with the power hungry. I hear the same retoric today.
To the elite, people are a problem and at best a disposable renewable resource. Is that how you see yourself? Are you huddled in you cold winter room under the erie glow of florescents and watching ads for a brilliant Las Vegas nirvana? Let's see....you feel guilty turning on a light in another room.......they....oh! They don't seem to feel guilty at all!!!!!!!!! What is it that really makes you feel alive?
Many have said that being in touch with nature has sustained and renewed them. How many successful therapies are based on reconnecting people with nature? Many. More than any other technique. We are told that our mission is to preserve, protect, and nurture nature.......but not to interact with it except in officially prescribed doses and under strict supervision.
Sacrifice is the call. Guilt is the whip. Fear is the goad.
Where is fullness of life?
Where is the exultation of communion?
It is where the "planners" want it to be........in a documentary on your HDTV screen.
Eco density is a way to take people out of nature. It is a concept built on the belief that man is separate from nature. Oh! Isn't that how we got here in the first place?
SOLUTIONS:
OK It is not fair to rail against an idea without offering alternatives.
I'll put some of my ideas on other posts but here is a quick summary.
Spread people out and make their dwellings constructed in tune with nature.
Use satellite village models where goods can be moved into hubs using energy efficient transport.
Start the idea of "Victory Gardens" again.
I'll go on in other posts, but instead of warehousing people through ecodensity, let them integrate back into nature with proper building codes ( and yes) development plans.
Also a quick note on commuting. Planners are too old! Web 2.0 is here. All your kids are electronically connected. This is the future. Use it.
OK this is as long a post as I want to go. I'll fill in more later.
Leave a comment if you found this interesting.
Colin
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