My name is Fern Garber. I’ve lived in Decatur for almost 25 years. I’ve watched the region, cities and neighborhoods grow exponentially. I’d often hoped that our leadership and elected officials were more foresightful in planning environmentally sustainable communities. And that they were more concerned about the next generations’ efforts to repair what we leave behind.
Clean air is important because, first and foremost, oil and money are difficult to ‘inhale’. And razing, plundering and pillaging our natural grown forests to create ‘green space’ is an endeavor for no one’s long term benefit. Emissions and other chemicals in our atmosphere (along with climate change) are destroying the air we breathe and so what’s left? The very basic fundamental life giving source, air, is not replaceable on our planet. The world as a ‘whole’ community must do better to preserve not only the air we breathe but the limited resources the earth has to offer.
My hope is that the world leaders will reconsider and be more thoughtful on how to proceed into this century. Maybe in 30 years (or hopefully less) we won’t be driving cars as they now exist. Or an imaginative entrepreneur will discover how to convert the poor oxygen we have, into a purer form that’s better for humanity. That developers will require better, and significantly greener standards before they can haphazardly build and develop. That lobbyists with money aren’t able to control and manipulate the system in their own best interests vs. those of the world-at-large.
Written by Fern Garber
