LETTERS
News
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Posted 1 month ago
SOME SCANDAL INDEED...
I read with interest your editorial of July 16 (Climate scandal kills green wave) purporting among other things that those of us who have serious concerns about how we are treating our environment are part of some international, socialist, money-sucking scheme to transfer wealth from the first world to the third.
Now I am one who would encourage debate on just about any topic but it seems to me that the value of that debate is directly related to the information that forms the two sides of the issue.
Perhaps if the author of the piece had read the recent letter from the US National Academy of Sciences that was signed by 255 scientists including 11 Nobel laureates ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ 2010/may/06/climate-science-open-letter- nas)he might have presented a more balanced view of the issue.
Alternatively he might have done some research and read the document "The World Scientists' Warning to Humanity" signed in 1992 by 1,700 top scientists from 71 countries -- including 104 Nobel laureates -- that begins with the sentence, "Human beings and the natural world are on a collision course" ( http://www.ucsusa.org/about/1992-world-scientists.html).
An even simpler test might have been to try to remember whether or not Collingwood ever needed a humidex warning back in the 1970s like we had a couple of weeks ago. Ever wonder why we have them now?
ERIC WILLIS
Collingwood
CYCLISTS NEED TO SPEAK OUT ON NEED FOR BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE
In response to the letter titled, 'Biking To Work Is Great If There Was A Safe Route To Get There', we appreciated Amelia Lockhart's interest in our Bike to Work initiative. In fact, we were thrilled with the overall response around town, especially considering that it was our first year!
The feedback we got was very encouraging; the constructive feedback was predominantly about the lack of bike racks in town.
Although we are the first to admit that it would be great to see improvements to make biking safer and easier in town, such as more dedicated bike lanes, we don't share Ms. Lockhart's "throw your hands in the air" attitude when things aren't perfect. Improvements will not occur if the community does not show interest and participation in biking through town and voice their concerns.
We need participation from the masses! One of the goals of this initiative was to gather feedback from the individuals and organizations who participated and to try to make biking to work a safe and effective alternative.
Ms. Lockhart might be interested to know that if she and her family want to cycle safely from Nottawa into Collingwood, they could ride a short distance down Nottawa SR 36-37 and then turn on to the fantastic new rail trail which will take them safely into town to Memory Lane trail.
Being members of the "Share the Road" committee, having had communications with OPP Constable Mark Kinney about the rights of cyclists according to the Highway Traffic Act, being long-term avid cyclists around Collingwood who recently trained for and completed the 215-kilometre Ride to Conquer Cancer, we feel we've done our homework and have indeed "carefully thought out" Collingwood's Bike To Work Week.
Other partners in this year's Bike to Work Week included The Environment Network, Simcoe County District Health Unit, The Collingwood G&M Hospital and Kamikaze Bikes.
The benefits to our health, our environment and our community in terms of tourism and decreasing the stress on parking and roads are just some of the great reasons to leave your vehicle at home and get on your bike.
As cyclists we need to speak out about the need for better infrastructure and be sure to follow the rules of the road. Our hope is that next year's Bike to Work event will be bigger and better!
SUE UNDERHILL AND SUSIE SAUNDERSON
Maximum Physiotherapy's Bike to Work Committee
