The neighbours of the Hullcar area of Spallumcheen recently gathered to hear information on a proposed waste incinerator for Hullcar Road.
It was a great turnout and many concerns were brought forward and some clarification of what is proposed.
For myself, I feel we have to make the best decisions we can for the future. I believe it was Albert Einstein that said, “You cannot solve a problem from the same consciousness that created it. You must learn to see the world anew.”
Finding another way to get rid of our waste is not solving the problem, but just creating another problem.
They assure us that the new incinerators are much safer with clean emissions but I guess that is what they told the people 20 years ago about the incinerators of that time.
They also told us asbestos, tobacco and thalidomide were safe.
What concerns me is the emissions they are not monitoring for yet and the consequences they will have. What will they tell us 20 years from now?
I feel we need to move forward, not sideways. For me, this means trying to eliminate the problem. I support any efforts to reduce our waste by not creating it. We as a society have to become more responsible of how we are littering our earth.
Although I have been quite conscious of waste reduction, this has accelerated my efforts to make sure that I am not contributing to the problem.
For if we are not part of the solution we are part of the problem.
We can’t just say we don’t want to deal with it in a certain way and not create a solution.
I am encouraged by all I have learned about communities, provinces and even countries who are committed to a zero waste concept. We do not have to invent a solution, it already exists and we just have to do the research and commit to it.
I implore our politicians and regional districts to make the best decisions for our communities, not the easiest. Don’t try to sweep the mess under the carpet. Let’s clean it up.
I would also encourage everyone to be aware, informed and hopefully motivated to voice their concerns to those making the decisions for us.
Those who speak get heard and those that don’t get told.
Dawn Graham
Spallumcheen
