Every subject has two sides. Reading an article on the advantages of living in the core of a city caused me some discomfort as an environmentalist. Arguments by those living downtown aren’t in dispute. Rural space is indeed a luxury and in fact one which can be carbon costly. A self contained home has four surfaces exposed to the extremes in both summer and winter temperatures hence wasting energy. Condos provide protection on two surfaces. One structure in Tottenham has the added advantage of being two tiers of homes connected by an interior corridor which protects the third side of each unit meaning only one surface faces the elements, reducing heat loss in the winter and air-conditioned summer air.

Doug Skeates Those living in multi-dwelling situations in a city may well be able to avoid owning a vehicle, walking, biking or using public transport to work or shopping. For occasional longer distance travel there is the possibility of short term vehicle rental or taking a taxi. Reduction in car traffic is certainly a major plus from both conservation and financial perspectives.

Planners favour in-filling development in communities reducing urban sprawl. Municipalities already have infrastructure in place such as roads and sidewalks as well as established services such as water and sewage which would have to be provided for homes in new subdivisions. view the crowded conditions in my son’s home in Yokohama with renewed appreciation for the value of land conservation. But this is not my choice. enjoy rural living in Adjala Twp. The municipal planning committee has dictated subdivision be limited to 10 acres units.

One often hears comments about the high salaries of NHL hockey players, Hollywood stars, bank CEOs, etc. Actually their remuneration is not the real topic of conversation, but their use of those funds . It is certainly easy to criticize those living in the lap of luxury. The gap between the rich and the poor is very topical. Once in a while one reads about a major act of largesse. The ‘Bill Gates’ of our society have expended vast sums to help alleviate world problems.

This brings us to the philosophy of the ‘luxury’ of space. A conservationist must consider how his/her living conditions help to minimize the carbon ‘footprint’ caused by choice of location. I am pleased that our property has gradually changed from being wide open to being ever-increasingly protected by vegetation. The house itself has limited exposure due to foundation planting, shelterbelts and improved windows. The electrical heating is supplemented by firewood reducing our dependence on electricity from the grid.

Undoubtedly our consumption of temperature-moderating energy exceeds that experienced by those living in the more crowded conditions of a city. For lack of an adequate public transportation system we are reliant on private vehicle transportation for many aspects of normal living such as shopping or medical trips though careful planning minimizes our use of the car. We are reducing our carbon footprint in many ways such as tree planting, judicious waste disposal.

There has been considerable publicity concerning the conservation advantages of activities such as lowering thermostats, adding insulation, replacing florescent lights or limiting the use of electrical lighting. In what other ways can we limit our use of the world’s finite resources or possibly even provide new sources of energy without contributing to society’s ever increasing appetite for more resources? Currently we are contemplating introducing private electrical generation using non polluting solar panels. It is a long process but it is expected that both we and our property will continue to be increasing energy efficiency as the years go by.

We can continue to espouse conservation principles without feeling hypocritical as long as we are constantly attempting to minimize our impact on the environmental scene. The goal in life is not conservation per se but to strive for a balance between quality of life and quantity of goods and services used to provide that which we deem necessary. We all make choices in life and whether we have wealth or property, it is the wise use of these resources which is critical for achieving our goal of minimizing our use of the