Read this op-ed in the Vancouver Sun by Profs. Tim Jackson and Peter Victor on the need to rethink our dogmatic pursuit of growth at all costs.

"Fixing the economy is only part of the battle. We also have to confront the convoluted social logic of consumerism. The days of spending money we don't have on things we don't need to impress people we don't know are over. Living well is about good nutrition, decent homes, good quality services, stable communities, decent, secure employment and healthy environments. The ability to participate in society, in less materialistic - and more meaningful - ways, is not the bitter pill of eco-fascism as Enchin would have it, but our single best hope for social progress." (Sept. 19, 2011)

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Prosperity+without+growth+possible/5423370/story.html

Greenpeace Int'l co-founder, author and ecologist Rex Weyler provides compelling answers to many of the key questions typically posed of proponents for changing our unsustainable growth-based socio-economic system: "Why focus on ending growth? Isn’t growth natural?"; "Can we not become more efficient through innovation?"...See what Rex has to say on this vital matter - complete with helpful links to important books, articles and videos.

Burning our garbage impacts our future beyond toxic ash. By whatever rebranding, incineration returns only a tiny fraction of the energy it takes, wasting both energy and resources.

Incinerators built today would still be burning our recoverable resources by 2050—polluting environment and residents, accelerating climate change (one ton GHG per ton burned) while fossil fuels and all critical materials are being depleted and world population grows to 9.2 billion people. Our region will to grow to 3.4 million people, while globally, net energy may decline to 40%.

Instead of wasting our tax and fossil fuel resources on the dead-end disposal economy of incineration and ash landfill, we can invest public money in economic renewal. We can fully develop our diversion economy; build resource recovery parks, recycling and composting capacity.

We need to remanufacture our recycled materials locally to prepare for the failure of overseas markets as “the eighteen-wheeler of globalization is thrown into reverse” by the ever-rising price of oil.

Instead of hastening planet Armageddon, our tax dollars can mitigate the impact of peak oil, peak food, global recession and climate change. We can start by buying the Catalyst paper recycling mill in Coquitlam.

A thoughtful and much needed discussion from retired DFO senior biologist and manager Dr. Gordon F. Hartman: "Around the planet, across North America, and more particularly for this discussion, in B.C., we can witness an endless parade of growth-driven building and ‘development’ projects. On the surface, the process is driven onward by the need for more jobs - jobs for more and more people, but less spoken of, profit and growth for business. The insatiable growth process is circular, there is no ‘end game.’"