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Page 22, Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, March 3, 1993 VIEWPOINT: Our hidden anti-environmental bias B-y Steven Leahy A study cenducted in 1991 at Wilt'id Laurier University in Waterloo concluded that gevernments, the scientifiecernm- munity, business and industry and most people aren't aware that they have a streng anti-enviroamental bine. Yet everyene prof'esses to place a high value on a clean and healthy environment. Cont'using? Rather than bing some ind of' peychological flaw, it is simply that we do not realize we have certain culturally enshrined beliefs that prejudice our decisions. And it's these beliefs, and the fact that we aren't always aware et' them, that has led us te abuse our environment. Take, for example, the beiet' that most people have that technology je good and will selve our probleme. Accordingly, we assume that any new technology, ne matter what it ie, will bonefit mankind. Anyone who questions new, and particularly exieting, technology muet preve that it je harmful and that the harm abeolutely outweighs any benefits. While certain druge and things that may impact.human health are tested before they enter the marketplace, ne such tests are done te, ensure the health et' the environment - despite the fact that our health le ultimately determined by the bealth et' the earth. Another example that bas led te our degraded environment je the beliet' that governments should have limited roles in the decisions et' individuals and businesses -- even when they have an impact on the community as a whole. We believe that gevernment 'interference' will limit benefits such as econemic gain. Therefore governments muet prove that the dangers et' non-interference will outweigh the benefits an individual or company may lose from their intert'erence. This explains wby the government enfoncement et' environmental regulations has always been se lax. In fact, only one individual has ever been jailed in * Ontario for environmental offences, despite the theusands et' instances et' outright law-breaking throughout the province. A third example is the general belief that we should take riske, even serieus risks, as long as there are benefits te be gained. Nuclear energy je one such example. Those whe would be more careful muet prove that the risks are tee high te be worthwhile. It je almeet always the case that the benefits te be gained are in the short term, and serieus danger or damage is lenger term. Thus there le the fourth example that, when t'aced with short-term benefits and censequent longer-term damage, we will proceed te obtain these benefits. At ail levels et' government or business or industr-y or in the comimunîty, there is the fundamental belief that te progrees we muet take rieke; that we should take advantage et' short-term benefits now while we need them; that the rights et' individuals and businesses takes precedence over the common good; and that technology is always et' some benefit te mankind. Whenever a decision is being miade about any new venture, be it a bousing development, a switch te a new fertilizer or the implementation of seme new bie-technology, these general beliefs determine the eutcome. Even when making legical, scientific, suppoeediy impartial decisions, these beliefs influence the outceme. There je ne such thing as unbiased decision- making or scientific objectivity. As a resuit, anyone whe would challenge any econemic or technological beneficial decision has little chance even with a streng factual case because 'of these undenlying beliefs. A chalenge ije 0ofté n uncenscieusiy seen as a-challenge te those beliefs. Since those beliefs are part of our view eof bow society ought te werk, then challenges are viewed as threats te our way eof life, and even te civilization itef. If an obvious economically beneficial proposaI. is tbreatened by environmental objections, meet peeple will intuitively reject the obS'ections and the objecters as radicale or subversives whe are If there je an attempt te address these underlying beliefs in order te get 'al the cards -on the table,' that je usually censidered irrelevant, pointlese or as meaninglees phiiosophizing. Yet the authors eof the study concluded that: "Our final suggestion je that ne reasonable settlement (or decision) is possible without identifying and contronting these issues." At a personal level, I know that whenever I arn envirenmentaliy negligent or forgetful, nt the root et' my behavieur je the kInd eof general beliefs and id eas eutlined above. Alet' us, as members et' our seciety, have abeerbed them te one degree or another. We need te expose these beliefs.and te talk about them se that we may better understand how they affect the way we think and feel. This je vital if we are te make the fundamental change te simpler and environmentally sounder lives. Opinions expressed are those of the author. MOE- *e- Whitby juniors win twoI .OVIf~ CORPORATION 0F THE TOWN OF WHITBY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPT. SPECIAL NOTICE SPRING/SUMMER ACTIVITY BROCHURE Watch your mail for the SPRING/SUMMER ACTIVITrY BROCHURE to be dellvered Io each household. The Spring/Summer Activit Brochure contains information on Aquaics, Ftness, Community School Programs, Seniors' Activiies, Summer Camp and much more for the who!e family to enjoy. If you do flot receive your brochure, a copy May be obtained alter March 12, 1993 at the following locations: Whitby Civic Recreation Complex Pke& Iroquois Park Complex. Prs Recreation Department( Municipal Building) Whitby Infomton Centre CORPORATION 0F THE ....... TOWN OF WHITBY NOTICE WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR THE LYNDE CREEK WATERSHED The Town of Whitby, with the professional consulting services et Gartner Lee Limited, is undertaking a Water Resource Management Strategy ýStudy fer the Lynde Creek-Watershed. This Study is intended te proactively acidress te changing scepe of drainage issues and guidge the development et future urban areas, in regard te water resource issues, within the watershed. A forum for public information anid input has been arranged as follows: Date: Wednesday, March 24, 1993 7:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m. (presentation at 7:30 p.m.) Location: Counicil Chambers Town of Whitby Municipal Building 575 Rossland Road East Whitby, Ontario A bnief presentation is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. Opportunity te pose questions and provide input wilI precede and follow the presentation. The Town et Whitby encourages public input threughout the Study. Should you wish te provide input into this important Stucly and'o>r obtain furiher information but cannot attend the public forum or send a representative. please contact the Public Works Department or Gartner Lee Limited, as noted follewing. Corporation of the Town of Whitby Public Woiks Department 575 Rossland Road East Whitby. Ontario Li N 2M8 Telephene: (416> 668-5803 Attention: Mr. P.L Watts. P.Eng. Gartner Lee Limited 140 Renfrew Drive Suite 102 Markham. Ontario L3R MB Telephone: (416) 477-8400 Attention: Mr. J.E. O*Neill In 401 league playoff action, Whitby Midas Mufiler junior B ringette team won two games ever the past weekend. There was non-stop excitement on Sunday at the Oshawa Optimists ringette teurnament as Whitby Home and Rural Appiiances bunnies I team worked ifs wny te the top of its division. Oshawa held a comfortable lead until the third peried when Whitby battled back te an 8-8 tie. Rachael Jimme scered the winner in the final minute et' the game. Later in the day, Whitby came eut strongly but ceuldn't maintain the pace of Pickering's three-line rester. But after a shert break, Whidtby I dug deep and feund the energy te best Ajax 10-4. For the teurnament Susan Crabbe had three geais, Jennah Cheesman ene geai, Nancy Engiand feur goals, Shauna Homer five goals, Certale Henry ene geai, Jimme five, Erna McIntosh five, Emnily Mountjey two and Jessica Tempieman ene. The Durham Reg;ien Farm Fresh Marketing Association heid its inaugural meeting on Feb. 22. Producers discussed the bene- ftfs et' an association, and dis- cussed generic promotion, acces te govrnment funding, educa- tional. programs gnoup purchas- ing, efective le1bying and net- wking. Wheels to Meals March 10 A Wheels te Meale luncheon will 'be held at St. Thomae Chunch, Brooklla on Wednesday, March 10 at noon. Ail seniors and shut-ins in the Brookîja, Ashburn and Myntle area are invited to attend this firet luncheon et' 1993. For more information, cali B._ Pengeiy at 6i55-4596.- - On Saturday Whitby played Pickering at Iroquois Arena. Megan Neeiy ecered midway through the firet period te break up a close 1-1 game. Amanda Whoelans aIse, scored te make the score 3-1 at'ter one period. Wheelans scored again in the second haIt' while Kim Vandenlip added ber second and third goals ot' the game te make the final score 6-1. Erin Carroll piayed an outetanding game on defence and Tamara Wiesiolek- was -excellent in net. Assiste went te Kristine Soper (twe), Wheelans (two), Neely (twe), Angela Dunn and Jean Whitby novice 7 seiecte reached the semi-finals in the Scarbenough City Cougars hockey teurnament recentiy. Whitby opened the teurnament with a come-from-behind victery over North Toronto. Aften a slow etart, Whitby gradually gained momentum with goals from Cameren Von Eschscholtz (twe), Ryan Jehnston (two), David Arnold, Kyle Percewicz and Grog Williams. The* second game againet the borne club, Scarborough City Templeman. The second game toek place on Sunday in Richmond Hill1 and was a somewhat easy 9-3 win fer Whitby. Shewing goed balance, Whitby had six different scorers fer their nine geais. Neely, Carroli, Wheelans and Ellen Johnson eacb scored, onc«j while Tamara Wiesiolek ecored' two and Vanderiip had hon second three-goal game et' the weekend. Assiste went te Anne Henderson (two), -Neely, .Carrol (three), -ýWiesiôlek, -'(twe), Templeman and Tania Campeau. Whitby nowhbas a 3-1 playofi' record with two more games te play. Cougare, aubowed Wayne Turcotte and Chad Teagleis toeaenaa combined shuteut as Whitby won 7-0. Goaiscorere were Liam Reddox (two), Jebasten, Von Eecbschoitz, Scott Merrison, Blake Robinson and Percewcz. The semi-final game against Cedar Hill saw Whitby open the third period with a goal frem Johnsten te give Whitby a 2-1 lead. However, tbey were unabie te bold the lead and lest 5-2 againet a very streng Cedan Hill cub . Norm Leigh, manager et' busi- Anyone interested in joining noe development for the Dur- can call the Ontario Ministry et' ham Region econemic deveiop-, Agriculture and Food office in ment department, assured pro- Port Penry at 1-800-263-8023. ducers that the Region would provide support and uacoessibi- lity et' fundcing' for association activities. The association'e iret major Fr n e ' project wiiî be the development et' a registry eo' producers who. a are direct marketing, and thon a .IibL5raXy the production et' a promotion brochure for this spning. The deadline fer producens te, Re 'stration je undenway for be inciuded in the brochure is the Space the Final Frontier' April 23. spring break program at the nhe mission statement et' the Jroek lin Day Nursery. new asociatien je: 'Improve the Spaces are availabie for those awareness and economice et' agri- aged 5 te, 12 in a first-come basis. culture in Durham Region by The pnogram includes a trip te fostening more effective direct, the Ontario Science Centre, hot marketing via education et' mem- . lunches on the "launch pad," bers,. infqrmation gathering, epace craffs and games. generic promotion an d lobbying - Heurs are flexible, between 7 for necessary change.' - a.m. and 6p m. The annual -membership foc Ceet le $10. For more infor- fer the association je $50 per irnation cali Rosemary O'Bnien at farm. -6f55-3864.- Novices defeated in semi-final BROOKLIN Wr 'Farm F resh' association formed m