It's Not Easy Being Green…Or Is It?

This City Council has set ambitious targets for its climate plan. However, when it comes to delivering, they continue to fall short. The problem is largely that they’re trying to save the world by making life more difficult for you. In my experience, nothing creates more resistance to environmental issues more effectively than counterproductive projects and idiotic statements. 

Let me be clear We do need to take action for the collective benefit of the environment. The difference with my approach is that I won’t pretend that mandates like banning plastic straws in a landlocked province are going to have any impact on the volume of plastic in the oceans. We can’t intentionally get our oil to tidewater, so I don’t see how our plastic waste gets there. 

I want to take the approach of thinking locally to address a global problem, while also building consensus and collaboration. My focus is on offering clear ideas for consideration, all aimed at addressing the shared objectives of our community that I hear while at your doors. You can be confident in that foundation

First, according to my calculations, it takes about 1,000 trees to offset the annual carbon emissions of the average family of four. To offset the carbon footprint of the entire city, we would need a green space equivalent to about ten times the current boundaries of Edmonton. Clearly this is not feasible. However, every little bit helps and trees offer a vast amount of secondary benefits. We could use trees to line the boulevards or use them as sound barriers outside homes that back onto major roads like the Anthony Henday and 91 Street. We can stop reducing our green space by so much in favour of radical densification. We can stop removing mature trees in favour of bike lanes because… climate change (yes, this is really happening). We can also bring back Front Yards In Bloom (FYIB). The FYIB program was very close to me. While I worked at City Hall in the Councilor’s office, I did a lot of work behind the scenes on delivering that program. I want to bring it back and this is a hill I’m willing to die on. Protecting community green spaces is a question I posted on my survey, and I feel confident enough with the results so far to assert that people want their community green spaces protected. However, they understand there are some times that we genuinely should use that space for something else. The difference between me and the incumbent on this topic is that I understand that sometimes does not mean every time.

Since we know we can’t plant enough foliage to address climate, we know we have to take other actions. One such action is utilizing clean energy to increase the supply of green energy in our electrical grid. I’m not talking about putting a solar farm at the bottom of the river valley because that would be crazy. What I don’t understand is why the City can’t pick up the phone and contact our major retailers and ask them to put solar panels in parking lots, as illustrated below. Vehicles are somewhat protected from the elements and solar energy gets put into the grid. It’s unfortunate that current members of Council would rather complain about parking lots being a poor use of land rather than think outside the box and make it a good use of land.

Dual purpose clean energy planning

(click image for source link)

Speaking of solar panels, we can also encourage more people to put solar panels on their homes by removing the risk that a developer could buy the land next to them, put up a three-storey development, and cast a shadow over their solar panels. This comes down to simply amending the zoning bylaw to limit developments to reasonable heights that do not encroach on the neighbouring properties. This is not a new concept, this is simply creating opportunity and protecting the very expensive investment that we are asking you to make. However, if we’re going to ask you to make such an investment, we need to get the economy back on track. My plan for this is best suited for another blog, but in short, our economy should be strong enough to ensure that every Edmontonian who wants to have access to solar panels, or other alternate energy sources, does. 

From a municipal policy perspective, fostering strong local economic activity means ensuring that pathways to employment and entrepreneurship are more accessible and rewarding than criminal activity. While there is no scientific data directly linking the vandalism of electric vehicles to setbacks in municipal clean-tech objectives, such actions impose real financial costs and symbolically oppose the direction our policies aim to support. Damaging sustainable infrastructure or targeting local businesses sends a discouraging message to those investing in innovation. To build a resilient clean-energy economy, we must focus on policies that encourage adoption of low-emission technologies and support the entrepreneurs driving that transition. We need vehicles that use clean electric energy, and we need entrepreneurs and innovators. Like the architects in Japan that built this beautiful building below. Dear developers - more of this please!

Green Architecture Just Makes Sense

(click image for source link)

While it’s easy to talk about what actions others can take, we need a Council that knows how to take action themselves. It starts with a review of our policies. To be fair, I don’t trust that all Council members read the reports they're supposed to, never mind looking back at City Policies for potential amendments. One prime example of this is Policy C599 which deals with Community Amenity Contributions. Basically, this policy states if a developer wants to build something really big, they have to spend money on creating a benefit for the community. We can’t tell them what to build, but they are given a list of options to choose from. I would propose that we add green infrastructure to those options. I would also look at ways we could replicate or replace the “percent for art” mandate. Simply put, would you rather the Talus Balls on the Whitemud, or have an equal value of greenery in the area instead? 

Lastly, and I can’t believe this actually happens, but when the City mows the lawns, they mow over and shred the garbage. I’ve been personally picking up garbage in the Southeast for nearly 10 years, and this one infuriates me like nothing else. It could’ve been one piece of garbage for me to pick up, but instead, I need to waste time picking up a million pieces of shredded trash. I will work with the Administration and the Unions, to pick up the trash instead of mowing over it. 

These ideas have come to me through conversations at the doors and from concerned residents in my email. I am doing my best to genuinely listen to the concerns of every community member, and as you can see, there’s great value in doing so. 

While the path to change can take time, I will always champion the ideas and priorities that matter most to you. Your voices will guide my advocacy, and I am committed to working every day to bring those ideas forward at City Hall.