Dear Editor
Re: [Surrey council to consider revised Campbell Heights plan, langleyadvancetimes.com, July 12]
Thank-you for running this story about the potential loss of yet another urban forest.
Blinkered politicians seems to have become the norm in North America. As the environment crumbles around us, the bureaucrats and politicians lean on the throttle.
How much will the climate need to change, with the associated fires, deaths, and lost homes, will it take? How much will the sea need to rise? Do we wait until there is no clean water in our pipes? Until air quality warnings are just business-as-usual? What will it take for those at the helm to acknowledge that our current course is unwise?
Urban forests are not a luxury. They are the air cleaners, the water filters and oxygen producers that keep us alive in our cities. Removing the symbiotic organism that is a forest, and then planting a line of deciduous trees along the street won’t cut it.
Surrey used to be called City of Parks. Now, The Future Lives Here. Unfortunately, that future is looking more dystopian every day.
Please, as you read this, don’t just nod your head. Write a letter, contact your elected representatives, attend hearings. Do something! If not for yourself, for your children. It’s later than you think.
Dr. Peter Stepney, South Langley
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• READ MORE: Heat waves could become more frequent due to climate change
• READ MORE: How quickly do we need to act to meet GHG emissions goals?
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