Visioning Nanaimo

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Viewpoints

A frequently held – and often mistaken – assumption is that local issues exist only locally and are exclusive to ourselves. More accurately, similar experiences and challenges are also occurring or have occurred elsewhere and have resulted in other perspectives being published and available online. Accessing this material might provide helpful information and contribute to a broader than purely local view.

Similarly, reading one perspective on how a cited article might inform our views on local issues could trigger our own analysis. For this reason, each post begins with my thoughts on why the item found elsewhere could have local relevance. The wish is to provide a context. Because the found article is the viewpoint on which each item rests, each post in “Viewpoints” ends with the link and source information for the cited article, itself.

Items are grouped into five topics that can be accessed through the drop-down menu in this page’s header. Articles frequently appear in more than one sub-category as their topics often overlap. (WordPress also shows all posts in all sub-categories on this page sorted only by date.)

To safeguard future generations, we must learn how to be better ancestors

The Guardian. Since all action – whether personal, political, environmental – is always local, it’s difficult not to see this as a call directly to Nanaimo citizens and local politicians to work from a broader worldview than the self-serving here… Continue Reading →

We’re on a collision course with the planet. But with public support, that can change

The Guardian. Provides additional arguments for why voters should support changing the economic thinking and approaches of local governments. [ARTICLE LINK]

I Talked to the Cassandra of the Internet Age

NY Times. One of the great benefits of reading pieces not written for our personal realm is being able to gauge on our own – without someone else’s interpretation – how they do or do not apply, e.g. to Nanaimo…. Continue Reading →

Economics’ failure over destruction of nature presents ‘extreme risks’

The Guardian. This is exactly the shortcoming Councillor Ben Geselbracht recently pointed out about Nanaimo’s new Economic Development Plan – a failure to recognize the centrality of the environment in the region’s economy. Best get started now on the revisions?… Continue Reading →

International lawyers draft plan to criminalise ecosystem destruction

The Guardian. “International lawyers are drafting plans for a legally enforceable crime of ecocide – criminalising destruction of the world’s ecosystems…” which if/when it is adopted will have implications for urban planning departments in habitats such as Nanaimo. And even… Continue Reading →

The urban cure: How cities seize opportunity from the pandemic crisis to change how they operate for the better

The Globe and Mail. “More bike lanes and sidewalk dining are obvious changes to city streets. But many mayors are implementing more fundamental changes to education, housing and infrastructure.” [ARTICLE LINK]

Vancouver’s New Affordable Housing Plan Needs a Serious Tweak

The Tyee. As Patrick Condon points out clearly, it is not enough simply to promote a “new” approach without a careful look at the various outcomes of what is being proposed. Upon examination Vancouver’s Mayor Kennedy solution for affordable housing… Continue Reading →

Why the ideal of meritocracy only deepens inequality

Macleans. Michael Sandel’s “The Tyranny of Merit” may well be one of the defining explanations of what has happened over the past 100 years leading to where we are today. If you look past the references to and context of… Continue Reading →

What Will Your Future Coastal Holidays Look Like?

The Tyee. Although the focus on beach tourism may not closely fit Nanaimo, the concept of rising local sea levels in the coming 50 years certainly does. We will experience the same higher levels as Vancouver. Consequently, Nanaimo Council may… Continue Reading →

How Vancouver plans to cool down the hottest parts of the city amid global climate change

CBC. This initiative seems also of benefit to other towns and cities like Nanaimo. Not just for identifying local hot and cool zones, but for informing official community plans and remedial action on the need to include cooling tree canopies… Continue Reading →

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