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Scrub the greenwash off the Freeway Olympics

02/08/10

Permalink 05:08:52 pm, by edoherty Email , 279 words   English (CA)
Categories: Gateway, Environment, Transportation, South Fraser Perimeter Road, Oil & Gas

Scrub the greenwash off the Freeway Olympics

Cathy Wilander and Eric Doherty: Scrub the greenwash off the Freeway Olympics

By Cathy Wilander and Eric Doherty

Many people are asking: Why protest the Olympics when the money is already spent and most of the damage is done?

The reason we will be out on the streets on Friday (February 12) to welcome the Olympic torch and opening ceremony is to highlight the real story and the real costs of the Games and related projects. An informed public is our best hope of stopping such multi-billion-dollar boondoggles in the future.

If the truth about these Games is not exposed, more destructive megaprojects will follow, and B.C. residents will be left paying off the debt, breathing the pollution, and watching global warming spiral out of control. But if we speak up loud and clear, public resources can be redirected toward making our province a better place to live instead of financing the destruction of our environment and communities.

The 2010 Winter Olympics have been branded the “Greenest Games”. But the Games are linked to a massive freeway expansion scheme which is already boosting consumption of tar sands oil and funnelling dirty money into the pockets of Olympic sponsors such as General Motors, Petro-Canada, the Royal Bank, and TransCanada Pipelines. The previous Winter Games in Italy were bad enough, but at least they included a pledge to avoid any major roadway expansion. The 2010 Games are a huge step backwards for environmental standards at the Olympics. [snip]

Full text and links at
http://www.straight.com/article-286495/vancouver/cathy-wilander-and-eric-doherty-scrub-greenwash-freeway-games

(If you like the article, you might want to click on recommend on the straight website or say so in the comments section)

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Our goal as the Livable Region Coalition (LRC) is to provide a voice for those who believe that efficient and sustainable transportation is a cornerstone for the future of the Lower Mainland. We believe that through creating attractive transportation choices, encouraging urban density, and preserving green space and agricultural land, we can make our communities better places to live and grow.

We believe that the provincial government's strategy to pursue excessive development through the Gateway project is detrimental to the well-being of Greater Vancouver. The Gateway project's stated goals of reducing pollution and congestion will not materialize. Evidence for this comes from many sources. Instead, we advocate real solutions that will actually work and will be less expensive.

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