A healthcare issue
This topic, as with tobacco, drunk driving or speeding is one of public health. Our behaviour, in the case of driving very energy consuming vehicles, has a direct effect on everybody's health and on the environment (after all, we are part of the environment).
An awareness and public relations campaign like those created by the provincial government on different health topics would be welcome to inform people on the impact of environmentally harmful vehicles. But are our governments courageous enough?
It is estimated that thousands of people get sick and die from pollution (check out the World Health Organisation's website on that topic) and yet most of us act as if we were alone on this planet. Well, we are not. In fact we are more and more inter-dependant. That's why we have to be aware of the effects our acts can have on others.
Since most politicians and citizens speak of the importance of the health issue, we should start by putting the accent on prevention. For Dr. Drouin, in charge of the health and environment at work section from the City of Montreal: "Pollution linked to automobiles is a public health issue. The air pollution and the episodes of heavy warm weather that occur because of global warming are at the root of health problems, early deaths, and the rise of respiratory illnesses." What's more, it is now proven that the pollution from vehicles has an incidence on heart attacks, especially when we are caught behind a very polluting vehicle.
So, that's it. The environment's pollution is not a problem strictly reserved to the birds and plants. It also has an impact on us.
What do our governments do ecologically?
... or Much ado about nothing
In a word, a lot of talk, but nothing serious. The Canadian government has talked extensively about the importance of the Kyoto Protocol on our health and the future of our planet but it has not resulted in anything of any substance. No policy has been put in place to favour public transportation, buy greener vehicles or just to raise awareness about the situation.
At the provincial level, it's just as bad.
We have to ask if a tax like the one in Ontario has any effect at all. It seems obvious that the buyer of a SUV or a sports car won't be influenced by a $75 toll at the time of purchase...
There is the avoidance of letting the car run while being at a standstill. "We estimate that if 63,000 people stop that practice for five minutes a day, we would reduce the production of CO2 by 1920 tons a year or 813,000 litres of gas," said André Bélisle.
A tax calculated on the level of emissions of pollutants and green gases like what is done in Europe would be efficient. It would help the purchase of greener cars and discourage that of the gas guzzlers.
These measures would not be made to take money from people's pockets but to encourage accountability. That way, it would finance public transportation and would encourage those who are respectful of the environment and therefore our health.
I know that what I propose might seem hard to swallow but the truth is that it is rather pragmatic. Either we start slowly right now or we wait until we have to take drastic measures. That's our choice.
This topic, as with tobacco, drunk driving or speeding is one of public health. Our behaviour, in the case of driving very energy consuming vehicles, has a direct effect on everybody's health and on the environment (after all, we are part of the environment).
An awareness and public relations campaign like those created by the provincial government on different health topics would be welcome to inform people on the impact of environmentally harmful vehicles. But are our governments courageous enough?
It is estimated that thousands of people get sick and die from pollution (check out the World Health Organisation's website on that topic) and yet most of us act as if we were alone on this planet. Well, we are not. In fact we are more and more inter-dependant. That's why we have to be aware of the effects our acts can have on others.
Since most politicians and citizens speak of the importance of the health issue, we should start by putting the accent on prevention. For Dr. Drouin, in charge of the health and environment at work section from the City of Montreal: "Pollution linked to automobiles is a public health issue. The air pollution and the episodes of heavy warm weather that occur because of global warming are at the root of health problems, early deaths, and the rise of respiratory illnesses." What's more, it is now proven that the pollution from vehicles has an incidence on heart attacks, especially when we are caught behind a very polluting vehicle.
So, that's it. The environment's pollution is not a problem strictly reserved to the birds and plants. It also has an impact on us.
What do our governments do ecologically?
... or Much ado about nothing
In a word, a lot of talk, but nothing serious. The Canadian government has talked extensively about the importance of the Kyoto Protocol on our health and the future of our planet but it has not resulted in anything of any substance. No policy has been put in place to favour public transportation, buy greener vehicles or just to raise awareness about the situation.
At the provincial level, it's just as bad.
We have to ask if a tax like the one in Ontario has any effect at all. It seems obvious that the buyer of a SUV or a sports car won't be influenced by a $75 toll at the time of purchase...
There is the avoidance of letting the car run while being at a standstill. "We estimate that if 63,000 people stop that practice for five minutes a day, we would reduce the production of CO2 by 1920 tons a year or 813,000 litres of gas," said André Bélisle.
A tax calculated on the level of emissions of pollutants and green gases like what is done in Europe would be efficient. It would help the purchase of greener cars and discourage that of the gas guzzlers.
These measures would not be made to take money from people's pockets but to encourage accountability. That way, it would finance public transportation and would encourage those who are respectful of the environment and therefore our health.
I know that what I propose might seem hard to swallow but the truth is that it is rather pragmatic. Either we start slowly right now or we wait until we have to take drastic measures. That's our choice.