posted on Feb, 21 2007 @ 09:33 AM
We do not need to take away all pollution contributors although the major ones due need to cut emissions immensely. The major thing to do is to
restore the environment. I think too many people have forgot that all the roads, buildings and random paved lots were once forests. Now I am not
saying to destroy our cities, even though most cities in North America are sitting on the most fertile land in the world, to grow the forests back.
What we need to do is put pressure on our city counsels and our world leaders to consider making use of land that has been discarded or is not in use
to recreate ravines and forests in and around our cities. Or if you feel like you have free time, go to your local town hall and ask permission to
volunteer to plant trees in areas that are bare. Not only will this help air quality in cities but it will make our cities look nicer and cleaner as
well.
I live in the suburbs around Toronto Canada and in the resent summers the smog conditions in and around the city have been horrible.
Whenever I drive down into the city I see many bare areas with garbage scattered everywhere and parks with maybe at most 3 trees or parks with dead
trees. Trees are not the most expensive thing to pay for when comparing the millions of dollars the Canadian Prime Minister is putting into
environment "ideas". It is time to stop planning and just act. We know there is a problem we do not need to spend more money on it. Those
millions could easily plant hundreds of thousands of trees. Tress take in huge amount of carbon out of the air and the more the better. I am not a
tree hunger but I have volunteered before to plant a few hundred trees along with others near the Pickering Nuclear plant which is about half an hour
outside of Toronto which is one of the largest in North America with 8 reactors.
Also if office towers were to plant roof top gardens it is almost like replacing the soil space used by the building. Again helping air quality est.
Now North America shares pollution because of winds so this is why all cities and town must cooperate.
A final note…To all you Americans who think Canada is a nice clean place, well it was but not anymore. Check out this picture of the main highway
that runs right through Toronto.
As well, the Oil Sand Pits recently created in Alberta have destroyed thousands of acres of forest. Now the oil companies claim they will put back
what they took away, but when they are charging us different rates for gas everyday just to make a couple extra mill here or there can we believe they
will do a good job or would they rather save there money?
Feel free to post about good things your community have done to support their green space or negative…