Suburbanization

North America (read Canada too!) is full of big fat cars driven by big fat people. I fail to understand this God given right to a 3 acre yard, 5 dogs, and 6 cars in this country. This is a fat country built on raping the land for free and it must stop. We do not even pay for the true cost of energy in one of the cheapest places in the world to produce energy!

Today I visited a dear friend who bought a new house outside of the city. Did I say he was outside of the city? I meant he lives 30 minutes from the nearest outpost of civilization in an enclosed little suburb. We drove through many kilometres of thick forest to get to him only to find hundreds of acres of clear cut land for cheap housing. It frightens me to think about how much environmental damage was done for this community in the middle of the wilderness. Trees cut for roads, houses, power, heating, water… the list is substantial I’m sure. Even pollution is increased because their commute to their work place has tripled.

The government of Canada must act faster to implement Kyoto. It is time these housing developers paid the true cost of pillaging wilderness. Trees cut down should have a carbon tax levied. Gas prices need to rise to reflect the environmental cost of carbon dioxide (and other pollutant) output. Without Kyoto, this “free land” will be clear cut suburbia in no time. Note to suburban (and exurban) elitists, us urbanites consume less energy, pollute less, and we aren’t as fat!

More must be done to combat this problem and we look to the government to do something. Stephen Harper thinks Kyoto is foolish (although I heard he has changed his mind again). I pose this question to all Canadians, if measures are not taken to stop this violation of our environment, do we have the self restraint to drive less and stop destroying Bambi’s home?