We know there has been growing opposition to the proposed garbage incinerator, euphemistically called "Energy From Waste". There is at least one vocal supporter of the incinerator who has been providing some comic relief to all the serious concerns of the majority of residents. She states that all questions have been answered satisfactorily by the Region's hired guns (consultants) at all the Public Information Sessions. She must have been at different sessions than those most of us attended in Clarington, since so many direct questions were answered with, "Sorry, we don't have that information yet". Or, "Sorry, we haven't done those studies yet". I suppose to someone who blindly can't wait for the incinerator to be built, those non-answers are satisfactory. Most logical, rationally thinking persons require something more than "We don't know" to have it even qualify as an answer.
This resident's antipathetic complaints about those who did not attend the very earliest so-called information centers that most people never even were aware of were totally offensive. She seems so filled with herself that she never bothered to think that the Region, and Clarington in particular, has had such rapid growth in the last few years that many of the people here today were not living here when those first sessions began. Others had very valid reasons for not being able to attend - health reasons. Young children, work schedules, lack of GOOD advertising.
Her superior attitude as well as her comments such as - Who cares about the children and grandchildren, what about US? - hit a sour note with everyone. That was in response to people who worry about the future generations and what we will be putting into the air with this monster incinerator. And if she wants to complain about those who only recently found out about this incinerator project, where has she been, since she only started speaking at Council last week, and has never spoken at Regional Council before. Where has she been? What is her excuse? We find her complaints about other residents offensive, as well as her lack of caring for the health and well-being of others, and her lack of understanding of the most simple of facts - that this incinerator will be adding to our air pollution on a large scale. Well, there are selfish, self-centred people everywhere I guess.
That same selfish resident also wants them to put a brandnew landfill right in Clarington, to bury the toxic ash from the incinerator. Even the extremely toxic fly ash, that right now is planned to be shipped to a special hazardous waste site in Sarnia because it is so toxic it can't be put into a regular landfill. But she has said she wants all the ash and unburnables to stay right in Clarington, right near the new incinerator. Let's make our world a bit more toxic, as well as Lake Ontario, our groundwater, our air... Let's keep that ash here in Clarington, but let's spew toxins (about 70% of the mass of the original garbage) into the air to be spread far outside of Clarington, far outside of Durham Region. Sure, a real "Made in Durham" solution. How responsible is that? Seems most of our regional councillors feel the same way. Bravo to our Local Councillors for wanting all the answers, and for giving our Clarington Staff the means to get those answers for them so that they can make an INFORMED, rational decision, unlike that confused pro-incinerator lady and unlike our Regional Council. That makes sense to us.
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She comes across as totally uninformed and ego-centric in person. If the pro side showcases her, they are helping the con side! Bring her on!
ReplyDeleteuninformed and ego-centric? Are you sure she isn't with the majority of people in Clarington?
ReplyDeleteGood point. I don't think everyone is ego-centric in Clarington, but there are plenty of uninformed people about incineration. They are under the false impression "their government" will protect them. They have a rude awakening coming. It's all about money and power. Most of our elected officials could care less about anything else. Especially those at the regional level and above.
ReplyDeletePeople don't realize that the decision on whether we'll get the incinerator will be made in September - if it hasn't already been made in the minds of the region. They don't realize that even if we are an "unwilling host" to that dirty monster, the region can and will force it on us. We have basically no say. That's why it's time for us to be heard!
ReplyDeleteEveryone is entitled to an opinion, no matter how uninformed and ill-conceived it is. Look at our regional councillors! The looneys are attracted to them, it is becoming more and more obvious.
ReplyDeleteI had a good laugh watching the whole thing on Rogers Cable TV. What a farce that council is. Doesn't leave much confidence in their decision-making abilities though, especially those who used the madwoman to further their own agenda and make a political point... ish.
ReplyDeleteMaybe she isnt the misinformed one..... you are fear mongering. We all put garbage out each week. Where do you want yours to go?
ReplyDeleteI'd like it to go to HER backyard... but barring that, how about better waste diversion? People think this incinerator will make the garbage disappear. It won't. When its burned, it leaves about 1/3 by weight of ASH that must be disposed of in landfill. Where do YOU want to put that?
ReplyDeleteBetter to divert more of the garbage out of landfill OR incinerators (which need landfills too). And not only does the incinerator produce toxic ash that must be landfilled (where?), but it puts about 2/3 of the rest of the burned garbage into our air, to not only pollute it more, but also adds very toxic emissions to the soup.
Waste diversion is so much cleaner than incineration, safer, and if we get to 70% diversion in Durham Region, we will be putting the same amount of residual waste into landfill as incineration will(ash), but a whole lot less into the air. And it's less expensive and saves energy too.
I say no contest.