February 2007

Right now the world is in a fight for its life, between those who know we must change the way we’re impacting the earth, and those who think global warming is some sort of left-wing invention to curb their freedom to consume.

Happily there is a revolution afoot as each one of us breaks free from the oil-guzzling limitless-growth model, and instead rolls up our sleeves to make a difference. 

We have choices on a daily basis. We can demand ecologically low-impact products, crippling taxes on polluting manufacturers, and vote in governments that will focus on the environment before earth changes become even more deadly and destructive. The wild weather we are having now can help galvanize our resolve to put down the TV remote, and see what we can do within our own communities. It is only natural that each of us experiences the battle in some personal way.

At our family cottage in Muskoka, for example, there is a battle raging between developers and residents of a very small fragile lake. Medora Lake, for all of us who reside there in the summer, is a magical place where nature heals and renews our spirit in the peace and tranquility of a pristine environment. These cottagers chose the small lake experience over the big lakes with their large resorts, heavy traffic and faster lifestyle.

The small size of Medora makes us feel like the entire lake is our property, the responsibility of every one of us, and that we are the custodians for future generations. This led us to form an association to act as guardians, stewards of her wellness, testing the water, monitoring changes and respecting the ecology: limiting our use of potentially damaging products, keeping our shoreline brush intact as creature habitat and insurance against erosion and silt.

In spite of our vigilance and diligence, we recently learned Medora is ‘over threshold’. Is the lake dying? There were no fish all summer at our dock,  no sign of old friends the Great Blue Heron, the Cooper’s Hawk, or our Redtails. The Mergansers, who faithfully congregate before migration, beginning in September, had not arrived by the time our cottage was closed up in October.

Now introduce a Toronto developer, who bought up a rustic campground on the lake and initiated a re-zoning plan to allow for a resort lodge, tennis courts, big chlorinated pool, and 32 enormous year-round condominiums with two toilets, washing machines, dishwashers etc. Presently there are only 33 small cottages and the lake is already in serious trouble. Originally, the Muskoka council unanimously declined the request for this type of rezoning as too big and dense for such a small lake. The cottagers breathed a sigh of relief after a long fight.

Meanwhile, Muskoka’s pro-development team – the Mayor, chief township planner, and council lawyers – met privately with the developer and his lawyers and struck down the council decision. No one on council was informed. When the decision was discovered, the mayor’s response was that the developer has rights.

Yet so does the town council that made the decision, and what of the rights of the small lakes in Muskoka. The battle begins again, and in the weeks ahead the emotionally exhausted cottagers are trying to speak for the lake itself.

The lake requires, as does the planet, intelligent developers who can build low-impact housing to prevent further damage to the environment. The town needs forward-thinking small businesses that provide ecologically conscientious businesses, and city councillors who envision development that includes the dwelling needs of Great Blue Herons on healthy lakes. I work on visualizing an exciting future, where everyone realizes how much financial success can go along with environmental accountability.

As a society, we have been slowly learning that each one of us, in fact, makes a difference in the world. Global warming is an example of how individuals can take responsibility for their actions and impact the future of the planet. Every person who has acted or spoken out for environmental consciousness over the years, has influenced others and, one person at a time, we are waking up and rolling up our sleeves. Sadly some folks will never wake up, having bought into the endless-resources and self-serving consumer matrix. Fortunately for them, there are many of us folks working to shift the world; our numbers are influencing consciousness at a large and meaningful scale. Vive la ‘green’ revolution!