Environmental Sustainability – Think Local

This past week I was invited to attend a forum hosted by Sustainable Waterloo Region, a not-for-profit organization that promotes sustainable development and practices throughout Waterloo Region in Southwestern Ontario.  I’m not really sure what I thought about this organization prior to the meeting, if indeed I thought anything at all, but I must say that it’s been a long time since I have been in the presence of such a dynamic, pragmatic, and dedicated group of individuals.  Enthusiasm and purpose radiated from everyone, and it was infectious.

The forum itself was the last in a series of educational forums that all had to do with sustainable environmental issues, primarily at a local level.  The theme of this particular forum was “From RIO to Waterloo Region: Advancing Our Green Economy”.  It was perfectly timed to coincide with the end of the conference so everything was still fresh and relevant.  It included a presentation by Dr. AmeliaClarke from the University of Waterloo who attended the conference.

Now I wasn’t sure whether I would walk into a room filled with climate change fear mongers, a nice group of individuals that were well intentioned but rudderless, or a government funded bureaucratic money pit.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that none of these images were correct.  Sustainable WR is unique and they are changing the way we think; not by rhetoric and fear mongering, but through positive action.  In fact, this group has been so successful that other “sustainable” organizations are beginning to follow their model.  I won’t dwell further on that here because you can get all the facts from the Sustainable Waterloo Region website.

I was really pleased to see the pragmatism of Sustainable WR flow through to the thoughts presented by the speakers at the forum.  I was actually surprised that they reflected many of my personal beliefs in regards to the environment; these are some of my personal beliefs:

• Governments (left, right, or center) raise their head above the crowd only when there are political points to be scored.
• Governments have neither the will, nor the means to affect worldwide environmental change.
• Environmental change must become a groundswell movement at a local level, but on a global basis.  Not by demanding change, but by implementing change.
• Don’t count on governments to lead; force them to follow.
• Scare tactics don’t work.  If you can’t base your arguments on untainted, unbiased, independent studies there is no argument.
• In any given debate you have polar opposite groups that represent about 10% of a population on each side.  The media focuses attention on rhetoric from these groups because it’s easy.  Where they should focus their attention is on the movement of the 80% in the middle.  For example you would have organizations like Green Peace on one side and the petroleum producers on the other side.  It’s the group in the middle that can be swayed that will ultimately direct government policy, so direct your energies towards the middle not the extremes.
• Governments don’t do something simply because it’s the right thing to do; but people will.
• People have become apathetic because they are bombarded by media hype, rhetoric and negativity.  Why?  Because, with few exceptions, media is more intent on looking for headlines than on researching meaningful data.  Media has become lazy!
• NGOs need to lose the “nanny state” expectations and start to take action at a local level.

By now pretty much everyone has heard about the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development commonly known as RIO 2012.  There was much media hype building up to the conference but after it was declared an abject failure it dropped from the media spotlight like a child’s toy that had outlived its novelty.  Like many people I watched news releases with guarded interest coupled with much skepticism, if not cynicism.  The world view of Canada has diminished to a point of irrelevance in terms of environmental sustainability; or so we are being told by the hardline environmental groups.  But was it really a failure?  Or, was it a reawakening to the realization that governments can't be counted on to do things for the right reason; an awakening to the fact that change can only be accomplished at a local level and used as catalyst to nudge government bureaucracy in the right direction.  In terms of focus RIO 2012 just may be the impetus needed to shift focus from national and international rhetoric to local action.

This view was in one way or another supported by all of the presenters at the forum.  These were, in order of appearance, Dr. AmeliaClarke from the University of Waterloo (who attended the RIO Conference), Mathew J. Hoffmann from the University of Toronto, Craig Haney – Directorof Marketing for Energent, and Carol Simpson from the WorkplacePlanning Board of Waterloo, Wellington, Dufferin. All of the speakers were dynamic, energetic, relevant, and brought a positive message.

I’m always reminded of a quote that I first heard many years ago, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”  If you shift your focus to small manageable initiatives the end result will be achieved.  This, in my opinion, is what Sustainable Waterloo Region is all about and both politicians and media would do well to pay heed to this and other like-minded organizations.

SustainableWaterloo Region is always looking for volunteers, so if you want to get involved with a dynamic, forward-thinking organization give them a call.