Deeper Shade of Green

To: Ian Black, BC MLA – ian.black.mla@leg.bc.ca
cc: James Moore, MP – moorej@parl.gc.ca
John Baird, Federal Minister of Transportation – bairdj@parl.gc.ca
Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada – pm@pm.gc.ca
Gordon Cambell, Premier, BC – gordon.campbell.mla@leg.bc.ca
Kevin Falcon, BC Minister of Transportation – kevin.falcon.mla@leg.bc.ca

Dear politicians,

I came home today, after a tiring day of work and more bad news on the radio, newspapers and tv about the economical situation and the impending environmental crisis due to climate change.

Instead of relaxing with a nice cup of tea and my favourite book, or better yet, spending time with my nine month old son, I took to my computer to write you a letter.
Why do I feel so compelled to devout my precious little free time to be writing to you, who consistently refuse to listen to reason? Call me naive, but I have this fleeting hope that in the face of the growing controversy on lack of public transit and the gateway project in lower mainland, BC, you will, as part of new years’ resolution, show good will and listen to the voice of hard working people.

Let’s be honest. The gateway project is not popular. Contractors are nowhere to be found. Flow of goods from China is slowing down. People are looking more and more to locally produced and sustainable alternatives to cheap hordes of consumer products from the far east. Peak oil is upon us.

If that wasn’t enough, our public transport society, translink, is badly broke. People all over mainland are screaming to get light rail to connect them to downtown Vancouver. They’re tired of driving to work and contributing to climate change. And let’s not forget the real and bold announcement, beginning of 2008 by the provincial government to work on cutting our provincial emissions by 30% by 2020. Clearly, building more roads and destroying dearly needed farmland is not the right path towards achieving those goals.

We don’t need lip service when it comes to the environment. As British Columbians, we love nature. That’s why we live here and cherish it. We want it to stay that way for us and future generations. So stop making backroom deals, stop kicking out people from their rightful lands and paving over their property with asphalt, and stop making boastful press conferences about how you will green BC and give us the transit we want.

Walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk. Roll up your sleeves and DO IT. The transitional government in the US is taking serious proposals from NGOs and scientists about climate change and how to curb it all the while rescuing their economy. And they understand they don’t have to choose between the environment or the economy. They can have both.

So can we.

And if you still need convincing, answer this one question: Where on planet earth, did paving more roads fix the problem of transport and congestion?

Sustainably and with much hope,

Peter Endisch Jr
Coquitlam, B.C