Toronto, too, has heart A TE
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DSAY
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What a waste of time
Robinson Orume’s article (Happiness Comes from Community, not Material Possessions, Jan. edition of the Advocate) reveals the truth regarding suggested recycling efforts on the part of the general public. We, the householders, thought we were doing our part regarding separating recyclable material from landfill items and, in some cases, composting to “save the environment.” Now, we find out that municipalities are negating our efforts by dumping everything into landfills just to “save a buck” while continuing to appear “holier than thou” by enforcing the separation of compostable material from recycles. My faith in “the system” has been irreparably damaged. J. R. Baldwin, Omemee The Advocate offered the city’s waste management department a chance to respond. Here is that reply, edited for length; Kawartha Lakes has two recycling streams: plastics and fibre. We also have programs to help divert items such as mattresses, and construction and demolition materials, for hazardous waste such as paints and batteries, and even for clean wood. The market for recycling has drastically changed in the past few years. What used to be a profitable space is now even more of an expense as it is extremely difficult to find companies to buy the reused material.
Climate change: We influence our world
Climate change is a natural process, says one of your readers.Yes, it is a natural process. It goes on for millions of years.The two-and-a-half degree of variations in the earth’s axis we take into consideration. The undeniable fact is you don’t have to be an engineer to understand that what we as people do to our world will influence our climate in years to come. Gunter Schubert, Lindsay
I take complete exception to Gene Balfour’s opening salvo in his most recent (of many) letters to the editor (The “Our Place” Dilemma, Dec. 2020 Advocate). To call Toronto “impersonal and ruthless” is both wrong and cruel. Aside from having roots in the Kawarthas for seven generations, I also have deep roots in Toronto and live in the same neighbourhood where my great-grandparents resided. We have street parties, we shovel our neighbours’ walkways, we bring food to the elderly on our street, and bang pots every evening at 7:30 p.m. to show our gratitude for frontline workers. What part of any of that fits Mr. Balfour’s description? I hope he is better at doling out advice to flailing investment bankers than he is in describing the city of Toronto. Biz Agnew, Toronto
Devil is in the details on any kind of Reset
Like Trevor Hutchinson, I am interested in The Great Reset movement (Trevor’s Take, Jan. Advocate) that was formally announced with the slogan “build back better” in June 2020 by the founder and chair of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Dr. Klaus Schwab. I recently read Schwab’s book The Fourth Industrial Revolution and concluded that he is a very intelligent, highly informed man. As someone with Libertarian-Conservative political views, I did not “freak out” as Trevor suggested, and I don’t see the Reset as conspiracy theory. Instead, I am aware that top-down central planning by well-connected uber-powerful elites may have its merits. However, history also records past attempts by national leaders to centrally plan and economically control their nationstates. Some of these produced the unintended consequences of extreme hardship and even death to many people. Like many things in life, the devil is always in the details. Knowing the motives behind those planning the agenda is vital. For me, one of the biggest questions is how well will their global agenda align with our best interests? Gene Balfour, Fenelon Falls
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