Colwood and Sustainability

This blog I will be offering up my thoughts on Colwood and sustainability and if it can ever happen. I will answer with a resounding NO! Never before in all my travels have I seen so many large 4x4 pick up trucks, in an area that does not receive rain in the summer or snow in the winter. I don’t see many bicycle riders.
The so called evil box stores are always busy and the parking are always full, with large pick ups of course. I cannot see how a place like this can ever hope to become something close to sustainable. Lets not forget about the untreated waste that is dumped directly into the ocean.

Victoria and Colwood, like any other community in North America, are built around the car. I have only taken public transit 4 times since moving here 6 months ago from Toronto. Riding public transit to get anywhere aside from downtown is not practical. Buses on some routes only run once every 30 minutes, the signs at bus stops aren’t clear, a student pass is not much cheaper then a standard monthly pass, the list goes on and on.

I ride my bicycle to and from school and the grocery store, which happens to be one of those evil big box stores. I find it funny that we’re encouraged to boycott big box stores, and support local small business instead. But in the case of the Great Canadian Superstore, its Canadian owned, so isn’t that considered local? Also, some of products they sell are locally grown, so once again, that’s me supporting local business.

The idea of locally grown food is another farce. Thanks to the global food trade, we can have certain luxuries, such as oranges and strawberries in January. If we subscribe to the idea of locally grown food, that means meat, potatoes, turnips, and cabbage for every meal for 6 months. Greenhouses might offer some variety of fruit and vegetables, but at a high price.

I could go on and on with a rant, but instead I will try to be positive.
I don’t think that making people feel guilty about their consumption and habits is the way to achieve something resembling sustainability. Instead, some incentives should be used. Maybe some radical thinking, like using GPS logging to track people to see if driving decreases, or highlighting local food at big box stores, so people are not looked down upon for shopping there.

Even where I currently live could use improvements. The house was build in the 70’s from the looks of it, and could use some upgrades to increase energy efficiency. Double paned windows, thicker curtains, and some extra caulking could help minimize heat loss and decrease drafts. Aerators on faucets and composting would reduce water usage as well as garbage. Using backyard gardens can decrease food consumption and provide people with the knowledge of sustainable living and gardening.

I think many different small steps, on many different areas of sustainability is what is needed, instead of a limited focus.