Re: Letter: Public input needed on recycling centres
Do we remember the “ecology movement” of the 1970s? What happened since then? Well, along the way, politicians said many things to support the movement and to protect the environment. But, what happened?
Money is what happened. Politicians and business leaders found ways to undermine the conservation movement while promoting businesses, usually through grants, tax cuts, and generous subsidies.
We have folks who say we can’t afford recycling centres because they cost money to operate. So, does the cost of operating public education. So does the cost of operating our public health-care system. So does the cost of policing, paving roads, cleaning streets, plowing snow, fixing pot holes, and operating emergency services.
Such services are not usually money makers. If we value our environment (air, water, soil, forests, lakes, streams, etc.), then we should be willing to pay for recycling.
So, back to the 1970s. Have our forests grown larger since then? Have our lakes and streams become less polluted? What about the air we breathe?
We seem to have money to support private enterprises, like energy companies, private blood services, private schools, but we always have a problem coming up with money for recycling programs and for programs to protect our environment.
Hmm? I guess “money talks”, eh?
George Thatcher,
Olds
