The phrase "Green Calgary" is as much an oxymoron as the "Honest Politician", the "Respected Lawyer" or "Military Intelligence".
The city has been built entirely on the premise that space and taxes are unbounded, resources are both disposable and infinite, and any suggested revisions to this assumption are dismissed as so much reactionary tripe.
These thoughts are typical of both the Provincial and Civic governments. And while change can be initially uncomfortable, there is an increasing realization that not to change may be fatal.
With that in mind I've assembled some links and resources at right that may help you start to live in a greener, more sustainable Calgary.
Find them in the menu at right under "Green Calgary".
Please bear in mind that this website is a "Work in Progress" and if a resource or link is not yet there, it's possible I haven't gotten around to it. I've started with a list of thrift shops - recycle, reuse, etc. being an important part of any Green strategy. And with the economic downturn, the savings in price is nothing to be sneezed at either....
If you know of any links or resources that I should review or add to this, please
Things you can do to start change:
- Write to your local MLA/Councilman and ask them what changes are in progress that will help Calgary become a greener, more sustainable community. Here are some sample questions to get you started:
- Why has it taken so long for Calgary to impliment a mandatory recycling program?
- How much garbage is created by the average Calgarian? Per Day? Per Year? In Kilograms? By Volume? Does this include commercial waste?
- How much garbage is diverted from landfills through the city's recycling program?
- What percentage of this waste is toxic?
- What initiatives have you brought to council to attempt to change this?
- What do you propose can be done to limit or even eradicate commercial and industrial waste from businesses within Calgary?
- Does the city have any processes in place to assess the "Greenness" or environmental impact of businesses? If so, what measures does it use? Where is this information available? If not, why not?
- What incentives do you offer businesses that impliment green strategies to cut down on waste?
- If property taxes were not averaged out amongst the population, what would the breakdown of taxes per neighborhood in Calgary look like?
- With this in mind, what incentives are you offering to boost population density in key areas?
- Why are many/most neighborhoods in Calgary so pedestrian unfriendly?
- The City offers many deterrents, parking not least amongst them, to visiting the downtown core. Does it have any plans to offer incentives in terms of regularized, economic and convenient public transport?
- What is your personal vision for the City of Calgary in the year 2012? 2020? What concrete strategies have you for implementing this?
- Is there a long term model of sustainable growth for the City of Calgary? If so, can you please share it with me/us?
- Write your MLA/Councilman back and ask them to clarify and quantify key points. Such As:
- Why have the taxes from my neighborhood been raised to subsidize neighborhood X?
- When do you forsee the changes you have outlined taking place?
- What dollar amount/percent of the civic budget is allocated towards this?
Remember to cite concrete examples. If $25 Million dollars for a pedestrian bridge over the Bow River seems like money poorly spent, don't hesitate to point it out. If $11 Million dollars for a downtown parkade seems expensive then ask yourself - What other projects could be built for the same money? Is a parkade encouraging a greener Calgary? With the current economic downturn well in progress, how do you justify this spending? How much of this money does the council have on hand, and how much of it is being leveraged (The principal cost of the bridge vs the real cost, with interest?) How many offers/bids did the city tender before settling on this one? Is it necessary, and if so, are there any ways to do it cheaper (*Note: Cheaper does not imply poorer. It may involve hiring a local architect or firm, or other such "creative" solutions. But arguably, with the funding in arts in such short supply, we should be sourcing local companies. Patronage is still the best form of arts funding,). Note neighborhoods that offer poor pedestrian access ways. Be detailed in your criticism, and expect - as is your right - that the reply you recieve is detailed in how it outlines the the city's approach to dealing with the problem. Expect dates, budgets, etc. It's your money at work, and you have every right to expect accountability.
- Recycle. Reuse. Stall on buying anything at all. When you have to buy, try and buy it used first. Take things out of the package and leave the packing in the store. Make the retailers realize the problem by forcing them to clean it up. When you shop, shop local. Support smaller businesses that you approve of by spending your money there. Vote with your dollars. Protest any chain store or franchise that attempts to move into your neighborhood. Boycott their business. Protest Wal-Marts and other large retailers that rely on foreign slave labour to produce goods that move to our landfills within 6 months to a year of being manufactured.