Unanswered Questions about our Local Environment and jobs

If GM/Saturn's electric car, the EV1, was so bad that its owners who leased them wanted to buy them, then why did GM refuse to accept the many potential sales and instead take them back only to destroy them?

And why does GM's new concept car, the 'Volt' have such little driving range (40 miles) between charge ups, compared to the EV-1 of several years ago?

And why are bio-fuels seriously being developed when it is obvious it creates two tragic effects? It ironically pollutes just as much to harvest the crop, and then to also process it, plus pesticides, and second, it is artificially creating higher food prices/shortages, as more land is given over to it. This is simply a no-brainer.

The decision to go ahead with bio-fuels is simply a political one. The 2002 Corn lobbyists in the American mid west promised to send more votes Bush's way if their states were bailed out.

And why is this province continuing to go down the same old road of trading jobs for the environment? Why are the province's elect official's voices remaining quiet on the question of the 2nd oil refinery in Saint John?

I, along with many other voices already believe Saint John creates more than enough pollution, and in doing so actually aids in limiting its population growth. Well, it limits those people and families that actually care about their health. We have to incorporate more ingenious ways of continuing to grow our economy with less pollution..

Instead, I'd like to see our province work to strike a brave, new path of true self sufficiency, one in which the health of our wonderful, natural world on the east coast is protected.

One has to wonder if N.B.'s Dept. of Environment will also include the cost of new medical expenses including lung cancer medications, and other mental stress, and psychological effects of NB residents in its EIF study if the proposed construction of the new refinery goes ahead? Or, how other residents will decide to move out of our province, or others will choose instead not to move here at all, instead choosing healthier places in which to live.

I think most intelligent people in this world are ready for a change. I would like to look out from the hill I live on, and not see that dirty brown stain stretching across the sky over the Bay of Fundy. The province's power generating station at Coleson Cove is as of this writing, actively spewing out clouds of burnt oil fumes every day and night. I think its highly ironic last year UNESCO awarded the Bay of Fundy with the acknowledgement of being an important, and unique natural biosphere.

You'll notice in my painting blog, that I tend to paint many seascapes, etc. The reason for this is simple; I'm surrounded by natural beauty here on the coast, and would very much like to keep its health intact so it continues to remain beautiful for me, my family, my friends, and you too.

A Letter to the Editor

I sent the following letter to the editor at the Saint John Telegraph Journal.

I wrote it hoping members of the older generation who haven't yet surfed the Net, and traditionally read a newspaper instead, would find it at least a little inspiring to start thinking about doing so. As the rest of you already know, there is so much information available, sometimes its almost like being in a candy store!

Hopefully it will be published. Remember there is a 250 word limit for these letters, and the letter below just makes it.


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Letter to the Editor

Last evening, I was again poking around the Internet, looking for sources of interesting, and enlightening information (which there are many). For those of you not very familiar with the Internet, your suspicion that there is a lot of mind-wasting crap on it is actually, only partially true. Just like watching TV, don’t bother with the sites you don’t want to. There are many better sites to choose from.

Lets say you have an interest in learning the real reasons behind the Vietnam war, or you desire to network with like-minded people, or listen to excellent, discussion programs in the form of podcasts, its all on the Net!

Some of you also might be surprised to learn, there is a growing community of New Brunswick bloggers who are exhibiting a dynamically thoughtful, and caring voice, making posts almost daily. Many of these bloggers have a willingness to share with fellow New Brunswickers their concerns regarding provincial politics, education, the environment, etc.

For instance, one such blog I visited recently had a link to a report regarding high-test scores of students in Finland. To my curious amazement, whatever they are doing in Finnish society, has allowed them to remain relatively free of many of the social ills, and negative government, and corporate practices plaguing the U.S for instance, which the same unfortunately, is also slowly beginning to undermine our real potential here in Canada.

Then there are really incredible sites like ted.com, podcastalley.com, and yes, even… youtube.com for its documentaries, etc.