Stratford Times July 12, 2024 __a The planet may survive climate change; we may not be so lucky ANNA KOWALCHUK Times Contributor It occurred to me recently that all this alarmist talk claiming that we, insignif- icant little humans, are on the verge of destroying an entire planet is not only the height of hubris but, quite frankly, utter nonsense. This planet of ours has seen and survived it all: ice ages eons in length, apocalyp- tic heat domes that turned arctic regions into tropical climes and meteor impacts of such magnitude, one brought an end to a shocking two-thirds of life on Earth, in- cluding the dinosaurs. The planet is over 4.5 billion years old and, believe me, it has used its time wise- ly forging itself into something that is not only singularly beautiful (see NASA’s earthrise photos), but something that is mightier and more enduring than anything our limited minds could ever hope to com- prehend or appreciate. So, rest assured dear reader, our planet Will be perfectly fine. It is we who may not be. Let’s retrace. After that rather dramatic beginning, our Earth eventually evolved into what has been whimsical!ly and ac- curately described as “the Goldilocks planet”: not too hot, not too cold, not too wet, not too dry, not to windy, not too still. It was perfectly balanced to host the emergence of us! We were quick to learn, adapt, overcome and thrive on this planet, which we did for millennia, but then we got restless. Knowledge and ideas build on them- selves and soon we wanted new, we want- ed better and we wanted more. Human. civilizations began to expand and grow, which is a good thing because stagnation leads to disintegration. But somewhere along the line, a wire in our collective psy- che was tripped and we became addicted to that new, that better and especially to that more, and we've been craving it ever since, oblivious to the enormity of the so- cial, ethical and ecological costs. Fast for- ward to today. Our actions (and now inactions) have turned this gift of a planet into a dismal, inhospitable place for many and soon-to- be uninhabitable place for all. The most pressing of issues, the hyper-heating of our planet from a glut of human-emitted CO2 in the atmosphere, is tipping the per- fect balance that once was, and we are now living in a climate of extremes — extreme heat, extreme cold, extreme rain, extreme drought and extreme wind — with devas- tating results, which will cae continue with greater frequency and still greater ferocity if we refuse to intervene. Most climate scientists agree that we have, at the very best, 10 years to turn things around, to rescue ourselves from our own bad behaviour. If we are to suc- ceed (and it is possible!), clear minds and stalwart hearts will be required. We must begin by immediately offloading those actions and behaviours that are harmful, no, deadly to our existence. So, citizens all — law-makers, business owners, de- signers, manufacturers, architects, city planners, media owners, artists/artisans, educators and marketers (especially you marketers, dark Sirens of over-consump- tion!) — let’s all think and act outside the box; “What can I do to turn this appalling thing around?” And let’s all be ruthlessly honest in our assessment of our own culpability, and in the disingenuity of our excuses. We’ve no other option but to commit and re-commit (as often as necessary) to living truthful- ly, healthfully and respectfully on what should be (should have been) our forev- er-home planet. Let’s refuse to allow this commitment to devolve and dissolve into just another environmental cool-factor trend. Let’s become a model for other cit- ies to marvel at and to emulate. Let’s live the long haul as though our lives depend on it. They do. “If not now, when? If not me, who?” This column will be focussing primar- ily on those individuals, companies and organizations that have taken the envi- ronmental road less travelled and are currently living/working sustainably and successfully on their little patch of this planet. I hope that they will inspire you to do the same. LORNA JEAN EDM! Guest Columnist Am I mistaken or have many traditionally rural ridings and the counties, cities and commu- nities within them more recently evolved into something differ- ent? Look around you — are your neighbours. the same? Are the shops the same? Are the services — roads, schools, health care — the same, better or worse? What about the environment and the arable land for farming? What has changed and what has stayed the same? I am referring to the commu- nities and their ridings which not so long ago were truly rural but are now feeling a shift. These ridings were not caught up in the immediate tentacles of the Toronto, Ottawa, London and their major highway lineal reach that led to widespread develop- ments and urban sprawl. These represent the bastion of rural ridings with cities that garner populations historically of less than 200,000, like Kingston and its riding, Kingston and the Is- lands, and some without even a city larger than 20,000 popula- tion like its neighbor, my riding of Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston. Perth-Wellington, Simcoe North and Stormont-Dundas-Glengar- ry are other examples and there Welcome to “rurban living?” are many more! In 2020, I a full time to a rural community in South Frontenac. Quite frankly, I knew very little about rural living and its livelihood. It’s magical yet it too has its limitations. It’s ex- pensive. Energy is costly and, for too many, reliable high-speed internet is still out of reach. You want to buy local, but food can be pricey. Just buying the basics in supplies and tools I needed to purchase can be arduous unless I (ab)used the luxury of Amazon for even some of the little things. Being a farmer and keeping your farm in the family, or at all, is getting harder and harder. Urban creep is seriously stretching mu- nicipal infrastructure — water, sewers, roads and community and emergency services to men- ion a few. As many rural Ontario ridings become a mixture of rural and urban-like communities with people who have lived here all their lives to newcomers from near and far, life and their live- lihoods are changing. The new- bies are commuter families, retired people and tele-workers who choose to reside outside of a major city or move for finan- cial and lifestyle reasons. They are joining families who have re- sided in rural Ontario for many years, if not centuries. By virtue of moving in together, they col- lectively bring a new set of wants and needs. The landscape has changed. These ridings are no longer what we think of as tra- ditionally rural and much more of a melange of the rural and the urban. Just look at the changes in size and demography of a number of our small towns like Carleton Place. Sprawling and diversi- fying suburbs are surrounding longstanding communities; fur- ther redefining the traditions and cultures of predominantly farming, natural reserves, lakes, parks, small towns and villag- es. As an Ottawa commuter and tele-working city, Carleton Place, for example, has become bigger and more diverse. It is one of the fastest-growing com- munities in Canada. Innovation with new businesses and bou- tiques are drawn to these emerg- ing communities from both a price-sensitive perspective and new families to serve. With the high cost of living of recent years, sadly, the demand for food banks and affordable housing is daunting coupled with the con- tinued inability to access basic health care, rehabilitation and social services in a clinic/centre or at home in typical of rural rid- ings. This is not to mention the cost to the environment in terms of the use of fossil fuels, loss of arable land and the generation of excessive waste, particularly stic. We have critical needs in ba- sic public Leesa and a changing population of aging people with disabilities, and In- digenous communities and those with young families. Farming is essential to our livelihood as is welcoming new immigrants. Our economy and tax base must grow to support these changes by investing in innovation, jobs and supporting new residents, and it needs to do so while navigating the mitigation of climate change, food and housing security, and sustaining our agricultural lands, parks and natural resources. The fabric and landscape of these distinct communities across On- tario have change Recognizing this, how do we wish to move forward? A key step is to relook at who and what we are and call it what it is — the fusion of ruralites with urban- ites into the “rurbanization” of these regions and communities. Perhaps it’s no longer rural but “Rurban Living.” If so, then new thinking and leadership strategies with a rur- ban framework is needed. I love living here, but unless we speak loud and clear to our new real- ity, our livelihood will, in time, SUBMIT YOUR LETTER TO THE EDITOR TO US! CALL 519-655-2341 OR EMAIL STRATFORDTIMES@GMAIL.COM come at a price. No plan is a som realities. Let’s to aE even fate than we are now for critical investments that align with our rurban needs and will sustain and enhance the richness these ridings must con- tinue to offer. Where we live is pretty special! Let’s start a conversation about your thoughts about “rurban” living? Please take a moment to complete this three-minute sur- vey by visiting https://tinyurl. com/LJEDMONDS, and stay posted for future posts about rur- ban living! About the Author: Lorna Jean Edmonds is a fulltime rural res- ident in Hartington, Ont. She was a senior university. execu- tive and global influencer. She has worked extensively across the disciplines in academic and development administration and external and international rela- tions. With over 30 years of ex- ~ perience in Canada, the United States and internationally, her career has led to partnerships and collaborative projects all over the world. Since moving to Hartington in 2020, she has been connecting with local communi- ties and is committed to bringing more attention to the realities and needs of life and living in ru- ral or rather “rurban” Ontario. plan af inaction. eit result in start