Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Great platform or HUGE time-waster?


The WTE plant controversy - facebook discussion

In recent weeks I have participated in two different facebook 'groups', both of which were spawned by the controversy surrounding a potential energy from waste plant at Duke Point. If you were only following these two 'conversations' you would think this was the most important issue facing Nanaimo.

Like many other things in Nanaimo there are very polarized views on the issue of using waste that can't be recycled as a fuel to heat boilers which produces steam that in turn generates electricity. The most vocal, organized camp seem to be opposed to most modern day conveniences and would prefer we were all peasant farmers eking out a living from the land. They have a hard time understanding why not all of us want to join in their lifestyle.

A much larger, less vocal and far more disorganized group seem to recognize that regardless of how many times you repeat the mantra 'zero waste' it will not become a reality in our lifetime. This leaves us with the cold reality that in spite of our very best reduce, reuse and recycle efforts we are still going to produce a mountain of waste we can either bury in a landfill or convert to electricity.

The 'optics' of being the trash-burning capital of BC aren't very inviting.
Is that the reality of a modern day, state of the art EFW facility?

The crowd opposed to just about everything will never be swayed regardless if Mr. Suzuki himself gave them his stamp of approval. There is a near religious-fervor in that camp that borders on pure fanaticism. There is nothing but wasted time you will never get back engaging this camp, their minds are simply closed tight! They have drunk the cool-aide.

The crowd, I believe to be considerable, who are not necessarily opposed to the concept of energy from waste are most strongly opposed to the optics of being known as the place where Vancouver sends it's trash to be burned. Leaving us with deadly plumes of life-killing emissions that would discourage anyone from wishing to vacation or move here. If that is the reality of such a plant, I would say I fall squarely into that camp as well.

The energy from waste industry is going to have it's work cut out for it if the concerns of the second group are to be overcome. I put myself in that camp. I will have to be convinced this facility does meet all rigid government emission standards and that ongoing monitoring of air quality will see those standards are strictly adhered to. If those concerns can be satisfied, I see the option of converting our waste to electricity rather than putting it into another massive dump as simply a no-brainer.

Meanwhile back at facebook.....

The waste from energy group in the beginning provided a worthwhile communications platform for the exchange of information, both pro and con EFW. However, it very soon degenerated into saying the same thing over and over again, quite often using completely outdated and irrelevant data to support forgone conclusions.

After about day three all information either pro or con worth considering had been said, from that point on the useful communications platform had become the time sucking vortex, which I finally was able to pull myself out of, by withdrawing from the 'group'.

A word of caution; just because you read something on the internet doesn't mean it is true. That became abundantly clear when you see graphics with simply unsupported claims parading as fact. Like they say, repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth.

GREAT COMMUNICATIONS PLATFORM?
TIME-SUCKING VORTEX?
I have found it to be both!

allvoices

No comments:

Post a Comment

Your comment will appear after moderation before publishing,

Thank you for your comments.Any comment that could be considered slanderous or includes unacceptable language will be removed.

Thank you for participating and making your opinions known.

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.