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Page 6, Whitby FreePress, WednesdayFebryary 24, 1993 The only Newspaper owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents! MEMBER OF: n ONTARIO CANADIAN COMMUNITY COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER CNA NEWSPAPER "" ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION CANADIAN CIRCULATIONS CNA DIVISION AUDIT BOARD 25,500 COPIES DELIVERED WEEKLY Published every Wednesday by 677209 Ontario inc. Box 206,131 Brock St. N., Whitby, Ontario L1N 5S1 Phone: 668-6111 Toronto Line: 427-1834 Fax: 668-0594 Doug Anderson - Publisher Maurice Pifher - Editor Alexandra Martin - Production Manager Printed on newsprint with minimum 20% recycled content using vegetable based inks. m oleu orrn irn How long do we have to wait? To the Editor: It was with dismay that I read in Feb. 17 issue of The Free Press that once again the local authorities have given the seniors the 'bums rush' Once more, we are on the wrong end of the proverbial stick. Ip would be hard te disagree that the Town needs an effective tire service, but how much longer do seniors have te wat? Why do we need anothar survey? Did we not go through this whole charade not long ago? Did we not spend $20,000 of the tax payers' money on a fact- tinding survey? Did not many volunteers, including myself, spend countless hours interviewing seniors on their preferences? Of course, Mr. Morrow, there are those who wish te maintain the status quo, but does net our mayor and council keep telling us to "look to the future." As Whitby grows, so does the number of senior citizens, and greater becomes the need for suitable accommodations. Again, as you often say Mayor Edwards, "The time to secure the future is now." Seniors have demonstrated their commitment by raising $150,000, a considerable amount for those on small, fixed incomes. Last year, my opinion that the centre would not be built in my lifetime was published; maybe I ought to revise it to include my children. In an age of 'use it' and then throw it away, it seems this applies to seniors aIso. A. Roy Nethercott Whitby Our hidden bias By Steven Leahy A study conducted in 1991 at Wifrid Laurier University in Waterloo concluded that governments, the scientific com- munity, business and industry and most people aren't aware that they have a strong anti-environmental bias. Yet everyone professes to place a high value on a clean and healthy environment. Confusing? Rather than being some kind of psychological flaw, it is simply that we do not realize we have certain culturally enshrined beliefs that prejudice our decisions. And it's these beliefs, and the fact that we ren't always aware of them, that has led us to abuse our anvironment. Take, for example, the belief that most people have that technology is good and will solve our problems. Accordingly, we assume that any new technology, no matter what it is, will benefit mankind. Anyone who questions new, and particularly existing, technology must prove that it is harmful and that the harm absolutely outweighs any benefits. While certain drugs and things that may impact human health are tested before they enter the marketplace, no such tests are done te ensure the health of the environment -- despite the fact that our health is ultimately determined by the health of the earth. Another example that has led to our degraded environment is the belief that governments should have limited roles in the decisions of individuals and businesses -- even when they have an impact on the community as a whole. We believe that government 'interference' will limit benefits such as economic gain. Therefore governments must prove that the dangers of non-interference will outweigh the benefits an individual or company may lose from their interference. This explains why the government enforcement of environmental regulations has always been so lax. In fact, only one individual has ever been jailed in Ontario for environmental offences, despite the thousands of instances of outright law-breaking throughout the province. A third example is the general belief that we should take risks, even serious risks, as long as there are benefits to be gained. Nuclear energy is one such example. Those who would be more careful must prove that the risks are too high to be worthwhile. It is almost always the case that Ahe benefits to begained are in the short term, and serious danger or damage is longer term. Thus there is the fourth- example that, when faced wit short-term benefits and conseque t longer-term damage, we will proceed to obtain those To th e'or.. Applause for GO Concern about comments To the Editor: After the publishing of my letter in the Feb. 17 issue of The Free Press concerning the use of an excessive number of GO Transit personnel in cleaning the bus shelter at Garrard Rd. and Dundas St., Whitby, I received a phone call that, thankfully, answered my question. The gentleman who called assured me *that GO Transit employs people for this task from Arc Industries -- an Ajax company To the Editor: Re: Chris Tyrovalas' comments, Whitby Free Press, Feb. 17. May I suggest that the next time Mr. Tyrovolas is about to pass judgment on someone or something, ha must first get the facts. The individuals ho saw cleaning the GO Transit bus sheiter are either physically or mentally challenged. The GO Transit authority has recognized these individuals' abilities and, as such, hired them to perform functions that enrich all our lives. They> are dispatched in that places physically and developmentally handicapped adults. This gentleman's son was one of the workers in question. This being the case, I applaud GO Transit wholeheartedly. I also thank the gentleman for calling and allaying my concerns that another government agency was not, in fact, abusing public money in this case. Chris Tyrovolas Whitby teams to ensure their safety and timely completion of duties assigned. We should commend these individuals for their efforts and accomplishments and recognize their success in the face of their individual challenges. Today's society is too quick to judge, rather than taking the time to understand our individual needs and desires. To those individuals who have been unjustly criticized, we, as do many others, appreciate your efforts. The Broughs Ajax To the Editor: It's interesting what's going on at Town council -- the budget gave us no tax increases. I hope l'ri not alone in congratulating, the council, especially the budget committee, for ensuring that the Town's operating and maintenance budgets need no new monies to fund their programs; to have done so with a tax increase would have been perilous. My real concern, however, is about comments made by some councillors regarding the cost of OMB appeais to taxpayers. Does a vehicle not exist for individuals who have objections te Town planning projects to direct those concerns to an arbitrary body? And, if so, does the public process allow for the cost of said objections to be borne by the public? I would hate to think that the public flogging of individuals, by some Town councillors, who are in disagreement with the Town's planning department is because the cost is too high to bear. Perhaps councillors would feel differently if they were publicly flogged for threatening to take McDonald's, one of Canada's best corporate citizens, to the OMB over designs for a new operation soon to come to Whitby. It scares me when those who are there to serve us would turn their ire on those who would oppose an initiative through a vehicle that has been established for that very purpose. If those councillors want to see changes in the objections process, they should band together with all their colleagues at the Ontario Municipal Association. and lobby the provincial government to make To the Editor: How nice to see the smiling picture of one of our young citizens who is about to 'Pick garbage on Mt. Everest' (Free Press, Feb. 17, 1993). It seems ironic, however, that such an effort has to take place so far away from home and be accompanied with a request for funds from businesses and service clubs. I'm sure that the hardy Sherpa are quite capable of handling their own garbage and might resent the intrusion. if the young lady's concern is the environment, as opposed to a subsidized vacation, I'm sure that changes to the act governing the OMB process. In the meantime, the process is available to every citizen in Ontario and they are encouraged te use that body should objections at Town level be unresolved. It seems to me that environmental issues and regard for all citizens must be a planning oriority for decision-makers at all levels of government. Marc Kealey Whitby there are more than enough areas that could be cleaned up locally. The Whitby harbour is one that springs to mind. If could stand a good 'spring clean' after a winter of t hose loose-boweled geese, and think of the heartfelt thanks from the parents of small children who love to run barefoot through the grass. Come to think of it, the Oshawa and Bowmanville harbours could stand a lick if the work runs thin. l'm sure her resume would profit from being known as 'The girl who cleaned up Whitby' rather than Katmando. G.G. Reed Whitby Get the facts first Clean up locally Viewpoint