4 ~ Wednesday, July 8, 1992 - North Shore News Water shortages in the Garden of Eden? DROUGHT. AN extreme form of non-wetness. It is a nasty word, ai? When it occurs in Africa, and millions of people die of starva- tion as a result, we may quietly shudder, but it is a shudder of guilt more than anything else, because we know bloody well our main reaction is relief that it’s happening over there, not here. Survivor’s Syndronie, it’s call- ed. We're really glad we're not suffering, but at a gut level we feel ashamed because we are hav- ing such a good time, and we know we could do more to help those poor people, but we don’t do it. Something gets in the way. You're halfway to writing a che- que, but who do you send it to? We tell ourselves it’s their own fault because they‘re ruled by dic- tators. The phone rings. Some- thing else comes up. The moment Passes. . Then, when suddenly you can’t turn on the sprinkler at home, in the midst of a temperate rain- ‘forest, because you're starting to run short of water to drink, for God's sake, it hits. Or it ought to: this is what that vague, abstract, hippie-eco-freak thing called global warming is ultimately about. — Or at least this is a taste. A foreshadowing. A hot breath on our necks. if everything proceeds on track the way it has becn going — meaning indusirialization, popula- tion growth, a car being built every three seconds —— my children, as adults, will probably look back upon lawn-sprinkling as a symbol of a pathetically ig- Norant time — and people. That's if they’re generous. More likely, they will feel quite a bit of anger, because such luxuries, now taken for granted, will be seen de- cades from now (well, of course, probably a whole lot sooner) as typical of an attitude that permit- ted an utterly mad squandering of natural resources, and an equally indiscriminate contamination of the biosphere. i mean, it’s not as though you and me, the breadwinning adult generation of the moment, don’t know that we are leading a lifestyle which is altering the planet’s climate at 10 to 60 times its natural rate of change. We read about ali this stuff. We see it on the news. Even the comic books and fashion magazines cannot ignore it completely. We also know — 07 at least have no excuse for not knowing — that carbon dioxide levels have risen from 275 parts per million in the atmosphere a century ago to 350 ppm today. Some of us have switched to natural gas, propane or ethanol, but numerically the greenie swit- ch-hitters remain a distinct minor- ity with little (if any traceable) impact on global pollution levels. it may be in the long run — geological time, we’re tatking now — all the fossil fuel-burners com- bined will have done nothing ex- cept to accelerate the pace of our own history, making it briefer. The evolution of life on the planet can be expected to carry on with its next presumably amazing phase, maybe a silicone-based in- telligence that can survive in a carbon dioxide hothouse. The story of Earth so far is one of awesome, millenia-devouring pendulum swings back and forth between ice ages and times of lava Bob Hunter STRICTLY PERSONAL and baking sand. In fact, what we are living through now is the tail-end of an unusually warm and comfortable interglacial period, a true Garden of Eden. It is indeed being predicted that the combination of smoke from natural grasslands fires, torched forests and upchucking volcanoes will offset the steady climb in global temperatures that we saw’ all through the ‘80s. This has already had a noticeable effect, and it is much more than just another Et Nino. Unfortunately, it does nothing to allow the rate at which the build-up of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is occur- ring, When the smoke from natural causes finally clears, the smog will still be there — only worse. And, whamo! We'll get kit-with a surge in temperature. Sorry. Didn’t mean to depress . you. Just trying to put things in context. ADVERT! ISEMENT 4& The story of Earth so far is one of awesome, millenia-devouring pendulum swings back and forth between ice ages and times of lava and baking sand.¥9 A shortage of water on the West Coast is of course a coals- to-Newcastle situation, having te do more with a lack of planning than any real lack of H20. The warming trend may have affected the snowfall on the peaks, as it has done for the last half-decade in California, but had people been organized to collect rainwater or had there been more - reservoirs, there would be no shortages at all. As for the lack of planning, a booklet published by the Cana- dian Institute for Economic Policy Series, titled Water: The Emerging Crisis in Canada, by Harold Foster and’°W.R. Derrick Sewell, has something pointed to say. In case you were wondering — global warming notwithstanding — why there are bans on the use September fy 12-13, 1992 of water in the midst of liquid plenty, the authors observe: “Three major bottlenecks are hindering the development of any semblance of a Canadian water policy. The first is uncertainty and the associated conflict stemming from disagreement over respective federal and provincial respon- sibilities for water management. “The second is the unwill- ingness of the federal government to take a leadership role in the design of policy for this resource. “Finally, there is the reluctance of senior government to undertake forceful negotiations with the : United States.” Just as you expected? The prob- lem isn’t lack of H20, it’s tack of | leadership. Again: : 8th Annual cle Trek for Li me & Breath Call the B.C. Lung Association 1-800-665-LUNC or A196 WHAT WILL YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD LOOK. LIKE IN TWENTY YEARS? Will there be enough parks? Jobs? Affordable housing? The thoughi of the 21st century probably has piqued your curiosity about the future. The unknown can make us uneasy. Change can be unsettling. Commu- nity leaders know this. That’s why they ask you to Comment on your ‘municipality's Official Community Plan — so there aren't any surprises. The Pon of Vancouver doesn't want any surprises either. Our PORT 2010 program is like an Official Com- munity Plan. And it’s also a process like the one used at City Hall, with the same checks and balances to give ali. stakeholders — including the community — a say in determining the future of the Port. We've tailored Port2010that way, so there won't be surprises for you and your community in the future. In the past, the planning and devel- opment process in the Post of Van- couver sometimes caused uncertainty and local delays. As a result, some jobs and cargo have been lost tocom- peting ports. . . In many ways the basic planning elements used in PORT 2010 are common to most major ports. But in other ways, 2010 had to be uniquely crafted forauniqu: situation; namely ‘a growing port located in the heart of a growing urban landscape. The Port of Vancouver's lands and waterways, which are owned by the people of Canada, border eight municipalities, but fall under federal jurisdiction. This national focus results in Port lands being exempt from the zoning and development procedures of NEWS AND VIEWS FROM YOUR PORT OF VANCOUVER bordering municipalities. Under PORT 2010, the Port pro- posesa planto firmly contol its lands so, where required, they will be used lo serve the trade/transport needs of all Canadians; from the prairie grain farmer to the B.C. coal miner. In this way, all Canadians can be sure that the Port of Vancouver really will offer fair and equal access to every citizen, well into the future. In 1990, we introduced Phase One of PORT 2010. We asked you what you thought the Port should include in its jong-range planning for termi- nals, intermodal transport,equipment, roadways and services. We identi- fied environmental, financial and gov- emmental issues. We talked about our customers and competition — especially from U.S. ports. And you told us what you thought we should and shouldn't consider. We told you the success of a deep sea port today and in the future de- pends largely on its ability torespond quickly with terminals and services to mect market demands. You agreed that being competitive in world wade is important. We said our new plan must diffuse differing political agendas and con- flicting demands for the waterfront lands. Many of you responded to our first invitation to comment. You at~ tended our Mall Displays, you filled in “comments cards” —- and spoke up directly. You agreed that a spirit of cooperation is key. Some of you disagreed and said you'd prefer the porttobe replaced by parksorcondos. But the over-riding consensus was that the port should remain the eco- nomic engine that it is - providing over 9,000 jobs and transporting over $38 billion of imports and exports. -You made it clear that quality of life issues, like clean air and waier, and green spaces are important to you. We agree. . You said that any planning affect. ing your community should be open to public input. We agree. Ourcustomers also had something tosay. Sodid the labour, industry and business sectors — here in B.C. — m Captain Norman Stark, Port Manager and C.E.O. and across Westem Canada. We went “back to the drawing boards” with these questions andcom- ments. We reviewed the comments cards. Our skeleton plan began to take shape. Our plan now had some meat on it. Wenow know what we need to be the dominant port in North America and how we have to grow and improve to keep Canada competitive on world trading markets. Like a City Planner who finds out what kind of housing is needed, our port planners have found out that the Port needs more facilities for Forest Products, Containers and Cruise Ship Passengers to handle future market growth. But we also know we can’t put a terminal just anywhere. It has to fit into the current physical landscape and factors such as water depth,currents, and rail access, etc.. have to be considered. So we pro- posed a Land Use Designation map, similar to the kind used by your com- munity to zone land. The majority of what we zoned is already in current use. So you won't see a Forest Prod- uct Terminal being built on park land nor a Cruise Ship Terminal being replaced with a Container Facility. We also understand that PORT 2010 must harmonize, wherever pos- sible, with the planning process that your community uses so wecan work inconcert with your community lead- ers to the greatest advantage for everyone. So we made sure our plan iscompatible with the “Official Com-. munity Plans” and provides for pub-- - lic consultation in‘ the “development permitting" and “environmental ap- praisal procedures”. : PORT 2010is foundedon the prin- ciples of sustainable development; the provision of the facilities we need to keep our Canadian economy healthy while ensuring our opera: tions are envirenmentally responsi- : ble. And backing every project pro- posal will be an open consultative process that works by talking to you. To your community leaders. Toothes.. |= Canadians who depend ga the Portof Vancouver as the country’s maior gateway to trade with over 90 coun: : ties. Ade The process continued this spring : when we presented Phase Two of: PORT 2010 to your Mayors and City Managers. More input was received from you and all our stakeholders at Phase II meetings in your communi- tiesin March. Thecommentsreceived will be reviewed and considered in |. PORT 2010 - Phase IM, the Final I: Plan. It's probably difficult for you to imagine what your neighbourhood will look like in twenty years out we want to make it easy for you Io pic- ture the future Port of Vancouver. PORT 2010 is the key to unlock the future so there are no surprises.