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This looks like an informative, interesting, and badly needed forum. There has been so much misinformation pushed out at everyone from the consultants and from the Region that it's hard to know what's what. Much of the information is contradictory and some doesn't even pass the most rudimentary sniff test.
Residents have been out there bringing forward documented articles from experts (scientists, doctors, experts in waste management) and the politicians have been turning a deaf ear because they prefer to believe the spin that supports their fondest dream - that of their very own incinerator in Clarington, to burn all that garbage and get it out of sight, out of mind.
Never mind that it does nothing to get people to change bad habits, to work harder to conserve, reduce, reuse, recycle. This is the easy way out - let's just burn it. It is the most expensive way out, and the most risk to health way out, and the most unsustainable way out, but it's the quickest and will make the most money for 'somebody'. Not for residents! But who cares, when the Region is all-powerful and can make the decision without listening to the real experts, or to the residents.
I very much hope that the politicians will attend this forum so they can actually hear more than what they've been listening to so far. If they care a hoot they will attend. They are all being invited and I will make sure to post the names of those who care enough to attend. I will also be sure to post, very prominently, the names of those who don't bother to attend the forum. I am hoping those names will also be listed in the local newspapers (all of Durham and York Regions) and will be listed by the organizers of the forum.
While it is important for our elected (and unelected, Regional Chair Anderson) politicians to make the effort to educate themselves, without excuses, and to show residents they care enough to do so, it is also very important that residents of both regions are aware of which politicians care enough to open their minds a little, and those who don't give a damn and are just content to push forward with their destructive dream of building this incinerator.
I hope to see a lot of residents at this forum, and a lot of politicians - local, regional, provincial and even federal. This affects us all. How much do you care? Enough to take a few hours out of one evening to listen to experts and to ask questions? I certainly hope so.
I was going to upload the poster Paul-Andre sent me but I will make a post and link back to yours. You said it best.
ReplyDeleteResidents need to care enough to come out.
I will do my best to come out.
Karem Allen
I hope I'll see a lot of our regional politicians there too. They need to show us they will listen to real experts and then make up their own minds. They haven't done that yet. They've been only following the spin from their consultants, and from those WITHIN the industry, such as those they were allowed to speak with on their big European tour they keep harping on. It's hard to believe they can't see beyond that and refuse to open their minds to other possibilities.
ReplyDeleteI'll sure be waatching to see who shows up and who doesn't. I have a list of Durham Region politicians from their website and will see who is there and who isn't. Yes it does make a difference to me such this is such a huge issue for us in the Region, and will effect everyone tax-wise if not even more importantly, health-wise in the long term.
ReplyDeleteI hope the politicians show up too. Apparently they (most) didn't show up at the first forum last spring and refused to sit on a panel to answer questions (or allow their paid consultants to sit on that panel). It shows how much they really want to learn or listen, doesn't it? There were a few of our Durham politicians at that forum that I saw, but not many and some who were there obviously didn't listen to what was said (or didn't believe it?). How bad, how sad.
ReplyDeleteI'll be there! There are so many questions I have because we hear from the Region via their Durham Works publication and their brochures that it's all water vapour that comes out of the stack of an incinerator, but then the consultants when asked say yes, there is more that comes out but you can't see it so don't worry about it. Then we hear from residents and expert publications that it's what you can't see that will hurt you. Those very small particles that get into your lungs and your organs and over time cause cancers, birth defects and other serious illness.
ReplyDeleteWhat are the FACTS? I don't think we're getting them from the Region because they are so gung ho on this project. Mr. Anderson makes comments as though it is already a done deal. Is it? Does it matter what the financial or health impacts are?
How can they make a decision on the site when they don't even have all the studies and haven't even begun a financial impact study? Or if they have they aren't sharing it.
ReplyDeleteAre they planning on getting us so far into this thing that it will be too late (too expensive) to turn back? Is that why they are making these final decisions before having all the answers to the myriad of questions that have been asked but not yet answered?
I'm so fed up with this whole process. What a sham it has become. Do I trust what I am told by the Region? Not any more. It is hard to rebuild trust after you have been lied to.
What is needed is some straight talk. Open, honest dialogue and not cover-ups or spin. As residents who will have to pay for this financially and with our health and our children's health, the least we deserve is the truth about emissions, financial impacts, and diversion efforts. It's about time!
ReplyDeleteWell written! I look forward to the 10th and hope to see new faces from the public... I look forward to seeing their jaws drop when they hear what Energy from Waste REALLY means, because up until now all the sugar coated, biased information that the Region has been handing them has led them astray. I also look forward, as you do, in seeing our local politicians there - I still have hope that they will exercise the precautionary principle...
ReplyDeleteI will be very interested to see a list of politicians who attend the forum and those who do not. I will present it to my professional association and will suggest that others do the same.
ReplyDeleteI will be presenting the list to entire neighbourhood and will suggest to everyone that they pass the information along.
ReplyDeleteYou know it's important that we know that our politicians who make these important decisions are well informed, not only given the pap that the incinerator "pushers" (read those in the industry or with a connection to the industry or vested interest) want them to know. It is imperative that everyone know both sides of the issue, not only the pro side that has been coming from the Region and a few of our politicians.
I like Paul Connett, he's a lovely person. He is correct to oppose EfW incineration on many counts and promote Zero Waste, 3 wastte streams including sorted food waste to bioreactors.
ReplyDeleteHowever ZW is a difficult thing to acheive and MBT/AD and Plasma Gasification modules are solutions for the last 20% of residualwaste that is residual and unaccounted for by ZW activists. Telling folk not to produce waste that can't be composted or recycled, whilst ideal, is not always humanly pragmatic or possible. residual always exist that redesign takes time.
Paul, hugely charismatic and really worth turning up to hear!
One thing is for sure, you don't want a big incinerator, with EfW spin. There are other better techologies to the job, better, cheaper, cleaner
My question is this:
ReplyDeleteIf regional representives appear at the Waste forum next week, which some probably will.
The question really is, will they listen. I've seen pictures on durhamenviornmentalwatch.com of regional representives at other waste forums being there.
I think their minds are already made up and they're only there because they think it'll make them look good to the taxpayers.
I agree - many of the regional politicians made up their minds long ago, and won't be bothered to really listen to any new information. Our Mayor keeps saying he hasn't made up his mind yet but then why does he continue to PROMOTE incineration at every opportunity? He's not kidding anybody, nor are the others.
ReplyDeleteI'd call it "tunnel vision". No threat of open minds there!
Some of the politicians will listen and learn and re-think some of what they have been fed by regional staff and consultants who are pushing hard for this incinerator.
ReplyDeleteOthers will keep their minds closed and push on no matter what. They don't want to know. They want to burn the garbage no matter what. And they don't want to allow us to put more plastics in the blue boxes because they need that stuff to burn to keep the incinerator going. If we recycle too much, there won't be enough garbage and they'll have to bring in more "fuel" (garbage) to feed it. They are already in talks with other municipalities to exchange trash for ash. But who wants that toxic ash leftover from the combustion process? It's worse than regular garbage in a landfill. More toxic.
I was at the meeting in Newmarket today and was totally disgusted by the behaviour of Durham's Regional Chair. What a small and petty man. His attempts at trying to discredit the "Doctor from NY" were pitiful. Caught a glimpse of an altercation between them on CTV tonight. Mr. Anderson degrades himself further with his blind push for burning the garbage and his infantile antics and his holier than though attitude.
ReplyDeleteHe does not do Durham justice. The man is an embarrassment to our Region.
If you can get this early enough.
ReplyDeleteYou can vote on toronto.ctv.ca, for if garbage incineration is a good idea.
As of 12:11pm the website won't work.
At the risk of being rude, I wonder about people sometimes. There is a train coming down the track, loaded with money. Politicians are telling you we're not sure the train is coming down the track, so don't worry. The incinerator is coming, and all the rhetoric is useless. The residents bear the health costs, the region/municipality gets the money. Whenever there's a gap between who gets the harm and the benefit, it always goes through. Check your history. If you really want to prevent the incinerator, push the harm back to the people with the benefit. Make a signed list of people who will not vote for the current council member in the next election if the incinerator is built. You need a fair number of signatures, but it can be done. I think you'll suddenly see seven people serriously motivated to block the incinerator, because now they risk losing their jobs. The risk and benefits are now in the same place.
ReplyDeleteIt's not an outright no to the incinerator, but Clarington is trying to put a temporary no to it.
ReplyDeleteThe local councillors passed a motion asking Durham and York to temporially postphone the vote to accept Courtice as the site until ALL studies are done.
Including the health and technologies studies that the two regions seem not to want to do until the site is decided.
Of course the regional representives voted against the motion.
Good done. I appreciate people who share such fresh and hepful ideas with other.
ReplyDeleteHi. I like your post very much. I will definitely recommend it to my friends!
ReplyDelete