“We environmentalists made a mistake talking about climate change; We talked about the dangers, we talked about the consequences, we talked about the human suffering that would result and the wall we were heading towards. We talked about what not to do anymore. But we have said little about the alternative, our ideal, our way of life once the planet is saved.
Posted at 6:00 am
“It’s like a tour operator trying to sell a destination by telling us about the long wait at the airport, the luggage that may not make it, the visa or passport that we will fight for and the risk of one.” informed of the plane crash. Then he wouldn’t sell a single trip.
“No, he tells us more about the beautiful beach, the fine sand, the color of the water, the gentle warm breeze at sunset. He bombards us with photos of this heavenly environment.
“There it is, the mistake: we forgot to mention the beach. »
A few weeks ago I met Karel Mayrand for the first time. As the former executive director of the David Suzuki Foundation for Quebec and the Atlantic, and now at the helm of the Foundation of Greater Montreal, this early environmental activist shared with me his vision for tomorrow’s world, and we were surprised to find that we had done just that had the same.
We allowed ourselves to dream of the world after. After the risks of climate change.
That day when we overcame the climate crisis and saved the planet by embracing a lifestyle that respects nature and the earth’s productive capacity. how will we live What will our everyday life look like?
Our first instinct would be to imagine an ancient way of life with our little piece of land. We feed on what we produce and live in self-sufficiency within our community.
Obviously this view is no longer possible. The number of inhabitants on the planet no longer allows everyone to appropriate a few hectares for their individual needs. This applies to Asia, Africa and Europe. This also applies to America and even to Quebec.
The green way of life of the future is about developing close-knit communities, complete living environments where everything is within walking distance and where we no longer have to rely on the car.
Karel continued: “We would all be living in these mixed communities which would offer many more affordable housing units that would be accessible by public transport and benefit from local services. »
Tell you about the excitement I got when I heard it! These neighborhoods that make me vibrate so much, they exist. And I hope they develop all over Quebec, these small, dense and inhabited village centers that we can build in our cities or our existing neighborhoods: co-ownership for first-time buyers as well as the most affluent, housing for all budgets, local amenities, offices, Common spaces, cultural sites, parks and green spaces, urban agriculture, public spaces, old people, young people, families, regulars and newcomers from the neighborhood. Living worlds that consistently form a large city or a large region by being connected to one another by active connections and efficient local public transport.
Isn’t that the beach Karel is talking about?
Modest, I think so.
But to successfully multiply these urban cores requires a complete ecosystem of actors, stakeholders, and motivated and ambitious leaders: elected officials and officials, developers, financial actors, and most importantly, citizens.
A beach is not just a few grains of sand. Likewise, socially and ecologically responsible living spaces in our cities, suburbs and regions must be inhabited by the majority.
Maybe only laws and obligations can change certain behaviors, but I prefer to believe in a destination that we choose together that is even more attractive than a sunny destination. We are talking here about a quality of everyday life: an active lifestyle, an inclusive and unifying community, a place where life is good, a life of closeness at the service of human relationships.
To counter urban sprawl and the inflation, climate and affordability crises, governments must invest according to need and urgency. And we, the citizens, have our part to play in this socio-ecological change. The environment we adopt and build today will be tomorrow. Why not choose this urbanity that frees us from the car every day, reconnects us and gives us back the strength to be active? Why not strive to find joy in adjusting our way of life?
I am convinced that many of us dream of this responsible world and I promise many conversations with Karel and everyone who wants to dream with us. That kind of shared vision between a promoter and an ecologist makes me hope that together we’ll make it… We’re not that far off!
1. To read tomorrow, a text by Karel Mayrand, inspired by this meeting with Laurence Vincent