Comments mindless has made
"Only in California"??
Not to be a stickler over something of little consequence, but this is one that California can't claim for themselves anymore. Bike valets are and have been used at many cycling events in NYC. It's good to see that this idea is getting news time, though!!On A very cool 'only in California' development ... bike valets posted 9 months, 3 weeks ago 7 Responses
DestiNY's Child
While I must give applause for the effort, since a "zero-energy" mega-mall would spur renewable energy investment and development, I'm still skeptical. I am a resident of Syracuse, and a student at Syracuse's College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Syracuse is certainly in need of an economic boost, but I think that a mega-mall touted as environmentally-friendly is missing the point. While it's possible that the mall could actually be powered entirely by renewable energies (which I'll only believe when I see it) the fact is, it will still be the biggest mall ever built by mankind in modern times. America is already the largest consumer society in the world. This is a principle factor driving many of the environmental problems we face in this country. Building a mega-mall based on renewable energies, while touting consumerism, and at the same time producing mass amounts of waste, seems a bit ironic.
The proposed site of the mall, on the shores of Onondaga Lake, is far from ideal. Onondaga Lake is one of the only wet Superfund sites in the country. It is one of the most polluted waterbodies in America, and building a mega-mall on its shores is only going to add to the waste and sewage dumped into the lake. Congel touts the "paradigm-shift" that this DestiNY will produce in the renewable energy market. What about the paradigm shift we should be striving toward? The paradigm shift AWAY from consumerism.
In addition, while there are two highways intersecting in the middle of Syracuse, neither would be capable of handling the excess load caused by tourists. This would mean a widening of the highways into areas that are mostly low-income and minority communities. Many of these communities became low income and minority because of the original building of the highways. These communities don't need more destruction and separation; they need investment and attention. A mega-mall is not going to bring that help. And, while powering it on renewable energies is a great idea for many reasons, I don't think a mega-mall, no matter how it's powered will bring much help to any of the environment.On Mega-mall in upstate New York could give birth to a clean-energy awakening posted 4 years, 6 months ago 9 Responses
what about "conservative"?
Whatever name we give ourselves, our opponents are going to spin it. That's politics. Look at what they call themselves: conservative. Many enviros I talk to think of "conservative" as a bad thing, linking it to the likes of Bush, but "conservationist" as good, linking it to enviros. So, even if we drop "enviro" and adopt some new label, most likely less homie, it will still be looked down on by our opponents. If we are going to reform things in the enviro movement, let it not be that which we identify with.On Do you hate the word "enviros"? posted 5 years ago 13 Responses