What is the Hope for the Future?

With all of these observations and suggestions for building a sustainable community, city, lifestyle it is important to figure out where we all fit within the big picture. It’s pretty hard to admit I feel like the biggest hypocrite of them all when I grew up on an acreage where you had to drive 15 minutes to get to any business. My parents have 5 vehicles, fly in out of work monthly, have Coscto memberships, buy things at Walmart, and consume just as much as the next guy. (Sorry didn’t mean to throw you under the bus guys.) But in all honesty, “Welcome to rural Alberta.”

http://www.concertcars.com/related/2028-car-clubs.htm?tkn=Ihg7dX7WTDEKEwjpuv6s6vujAhUi7oIKHQInTMgYAyAAMPj7ggE4DVD4-4IBUJPKogNQpPmYD1Cas_gQULDr_xNQ1OiEG1CWmY4dUIq23B5QzPrtmwM

This is what it is like in most communities, maybe not this extreme, or as bad in urban areas but most people are saving up for their own detached house, recreational vehicles, tropical vacations, and so on. That is because we live in an oil based economy, and most of the jobs in Alberta are based around the extraction of hydrocarbons. Many people in Alberta would argue about the validity of Peak Oil theory saying that untapped reservoirs are still being discovered, and the amount of oil that can be recovered from reservoirs through tertiary recovery is 60% greater than primary production of the right technology is applied and optimized for best results. This may be so, but win combination with massive population growth, people using vehicle transportation more than ever, and consuming more than ever we still have to take responsibility for what effect this has on our environment. Burning hydrocarbons, manufacturing consumer products, even agricultural practices to produce the food we eat all contribute to releasing greenhouse gasses and toxic compounds into the atmosphere, deplete the atmosphere and creates more wastes to dispose of. Things aren’t going to start changing dramatically in places where the majority of the people profit so highly at the expense of their environment.

http://archives.starbulletin.com/2006/12/10/editorial/special3.html

Like the Oncelor portrayed in the Lorax movie by Dr. Seuss, people are here to make a profit, as fast as they can. If he doesn’t harvest all of those trees they are not going to make a profit. With no regard for the environmental wealth of our ecosystems and resources they are being exploited for profit. Until we start connecting extreme weather patterns with climate change and human impact, the depilation of our land and natural resources with over consumption, and the overall health of our planet, it’s difficult for people who profit from these practices to start contributing to sustainable solutions.

On a positive side more people have actually become enlightened about sustainable practices and have started to transition towards a more holistic approach for the Earth. The reduction of plastic bags which once plagued our streets, highway ditches and landfills has been dramatic. This goes to show that if the problem is visual it is easier to perceive as a problem and people are more likely to accept changes. Irradiating plastic bags is only a minor subsection of the first step… and we’re not fully done getting rid of them yet. We have a long ways to go before we can say we live in a sustainable fashion, hopefully it doesn’t take too long to get everyone one board.