Webpage Info for: We need to work now to change the future The threat to our children will continue without significant upheaval
On June 19, 2008, The St. Catharines Standard published my 6th Niagara Voices Column entitled, "We need to work now to change the future: The threat to our children will continue without significant upheaval" This article summarizes my experience in preparing my series of articles focused on sustainability issues.
(Disclaimer:I apologize for any links within any of my websites which may have become inactive over time.)
TrendLinks ( ¶ ) tie into SustainableNiagara.ca's Sustainability Resources Portal, to offer summaries of, and links to related websites. GlossaryLinks ( Δ ) tie into the Sustainability Glossary to offer definitions and informative resource links and StatLinks ( § ) tie into the Stats/Info Portal to offer valuable insights.
Try this >¶ <, this >
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§ < to see what you get for Sustainability.
I started kicking ideas around for this column especially early. For parting thoughts, however, nothing seemed right with my collection of drafts. I was seriously stuck -- and distracted.
Regular Port tower hearing attendance aside, I had problems reprogramming my websites -- for-legacies-sake.ca and sustainableniagara.ca.
With striking irony to the message of my previous Niagara Voices columns, the websites' gracious host, past Niagara Voice Dianne Renton, made some technical improvements back in May '07. Although I was forewarned, those changes rendered my sustainability resource databases inaccessible.
My most valuable assets literally lost an established Internet prominence just as sustainability issues were gaining prominence. In order to restore the information to my webpages, I've had to continuously research and learn new programs, run endless tests and rewrite program scripts.
Thankfully, Dan Pilon's column Whatever happened to serendipity? (The Standard, June 3), inspired me to tell of the reasons behind my written efforts and show my impact on making a difference. I wanted my Niagara Voice to inspire action from others more capable than myself to effect societal change -- or at least provoke thought.
As I wrote back in January, imagining daily lives not yet lived is not easy. Therefore, persuading readers to think about the future at hand is hardly best left to serendipity. I needed the printed word's power to stress our shortsighted 20th-century mindset. With our societies undergoing life-affecting changes, no longer can we ignore the big picture, for everyone's (grand)children's sake.
I spent weeks labouring over every word. Rewrote each sentence several times. Rearranged paragraphs just as much.
Almost ready, I e-mailed drafts off to people for feedback. My harshest, most valuable critic was my eldest son, Aaron. He's doing his post-doctorate in physics at Cornell University. I knew he'd share it with his wife, Emily (nee DiBattista), also doing her post-doctorate there in bio-chemistry.
We need to work now to change the future [Continued]
The apple not far from their tree is my first granddaughter Beth (incidentally born six hours after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that spirited away thousands, a foreshadow of impending environmental catastrophes).
Beth and her new sister Sophia now embody my 11-year-old obsession to effect societal change. Their blissful ignorance of the future that threatens them deepened my concerns. And as if I wasn't hard enough on myself, Aaron's brutal critiques and astute observations always shattered my confidence, forcing me to close gaps and reassess flows of thought. (How I hated removing inspired sentences and stylized phrases!)
No Dan. Serendipity set no tone in my Voice.
So my precious (grand)children, will any of my efforts be reflected in your futures?
Hard to say. Rarely does someone implementing another's idea credit the seeder. I know since well before becoming a Niagara Voice I planted -- and nurtured -- without due credit many a now-sprouting seed. And no longer is my voice a rarity in Niagara.
Even so, the odd time a sprout promises to bloom as reflected in the following e-mail-- edited for brevity. Back in March, one well-positioned reader with whom I've held many previous discussions wrote:
"I read Finding opportunity in environmentalism with interest. Some rambling thoughts:
"Although there's a path towards a better future I'm not sure people will see it. We need to show a clearer view of the future -- that there are jobs and opportunities but they will be different than today. I know we can't predict exactly what that future will be but....
"The (manufacture what we now) import replacement piece is obviously critical to the whole transformation. In a short article you cannot tackle this issue but we do need to start a conversation about this. The forces of globalization are very strong and to many, your approach will appear to be a ... Luddite- type solution. I have difficulty seeing this reverse in approach, except under extreme economic circumstances. Personally this could happen at a time when I have the least ability to respond to the change as a retired person. If this applies to me, think of how many others it affects and most will be less able to withstand the change than me. We need to find a way to connect the argument so that people's grandchildren can have a better life."
My parting thoughts? Without significant societal change, the only thing collectively sustained is the continual threat to our (grand)children's well-being.
At least for my part, I know I've put my skills forward in hopes of offsetting that, and thank The Standard for allowing me the opportunity to try.
Bernie Slepkov is a community activist, council-watcher and observer/participant of the Smarter Niagara steering committee. He is a member of the Standard's community editorial board.
Disclaimer: The information provided through For Legacies' Sake is without charge as a convenience to visitors. Any reference to products, services, links and other information not produced by me, Bernie Slepkov does not constitute recommendation, endorsement or sponsorship. Nor does it particularly reflect the views and/or opinions of Bernie Slepkov, as an individual. I apologize for any links which may have become inactive over time.
