The Climate Change Collective is an initiative where the blogging community unites behind a common goal. Today, the conversation continues with post 10 in the series. Krista from A Sustainably Simple Life discusses how extreme weather events directly impacted her family and why preserving our green spaces matters. As the housing crisis threatens Ontario’s green belt and we move towards high-density living, we can’t ignore the environmental impact of our actions.
Why preserving our green space matters
Like many other parts of Canada, Ontario has a housing crisis. In particular, Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe area is one of the fastest growing regions in North America. The population of this area that surrounds the city of Toronto and wraps around the western shores of Lake Ontario is predicted to hit 13.5 million by 2041. (Source: greenbelt.ca)
Instead of taking steps to contain urban sprawl and preserve our green space, the provincial government is proposing development on portions of Ontario’s Greenbelt. In their rush to build more homes to support current and future population growth, politicians are making decisions that are not in the best interest of the planet. And decisions that are not in the best interest of the planet are ultimately not in the best interest of the health and happiness of the humans that inhabit it.
Preserving our green space is critical. The Greenbelt is an 800,000-hectare area that spans 325 kilometres. It’s vital to the quality of our air and drinking water. It also reduces flood risk, provides a home for wildlife, and gives Ontarians and visitors beautiful outdoor spaces to explore. And its 750,000 acres of productive farmland put food on our tables. (Source: greenbelt.ca)
Even the Ontario government website acknowledges the greenbelt’s important role.
Ontario’s Greenbelt protects farmland, communities, forests, wetlands, and watersheds. It also preserves cultural heritage and supports recreation and tourism in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe.
Ontario.ca
So, why are they proposing turning any of this valuable green space over to developers to build single-family homes?
High-density housing is one solution to preserving our green space
One potential solution to increasing housing supply while containing urban sprawl is high-density housing—building up not out. We’re already seeing a lot of that here in Waterloo Region. Some days, I don’t recognize our medium-sized city where cranes dot the landscape as far as the eye can see.
Earlier this year, Waterloo Region’s official plan was approved by the province. The plan allows for growth while preserving our countryside line. To support that growth, I expect we’ll see a lot more cranes. Every time I check the news, I hear of another proposed 30- 40- or 50-storey condo development in our region.
I understand that building up, not out, is a way to contain urban sprawl and protect our countryside, but I worry that our mid-sized city will turn into a concrete jungle. Any mention of parkland or green space in these proposed developments seems to be an afterthought—the bare minimum needed to get the project approved.
A recent decision by Kitchener city council sums up what’s going on in our province. They approved a questional development despite its environmental impact. Why? If they didn’t, they knew the developer would just appeal to the provincial government and get their decision overturned. Then, they would lose out on some of the concessions the developer had agreed to. This is the climate of the province of Ontario right now and it’s wrong!
Green spaces are vital to livable cities. As our urban way of life forces more and more people into high-density housing, people will be raising families in these high-rise buildings. We cannot let kids grow up in a world where green grass, plants, and trees are only seen in movies.
I encourage you to read Krista’s post to learn more about the impact of limited green spaces, and how cities and individuals can do their part toward preserving our green space.
Though the underlying cause of these events can be at least partially linked to climate change, strategic management of our green spaces on an individual level as well as larger scales can work against climate change, as well as help to mitigate escalating impacts of it.
Krista, A Sustainably Simple Life
How green spaces help our planet
Let’s keep in touch! Join my mailing list and I’ll email you when I add a new post.
About the Climate Change Collective
The Climate Change Collective was born out of an exchange that took place when I left a comment on a blog post by Jamie Ad Stories. Jamie and I wanted to find a way to keep the climate change message top of mind for everyone, so I put out a tweet to see what kind of interest there would be in a climate-change-related blogging collaboration. The Climate Change Collective was born!
The members of the collective take turns writing a monthly blog post sharing their unique perspective about climate change. After the post is published, the rest of the group keeps the conversation going by sharing a link to the post on their blogs along with their thoughts and ideas.
If you’re a like-minded blogger and would like to join our collective, please get in touch. More voices joining the conversation means more attention to the problems plaguing our planet!
More Climate Change Collective posts
If you missed any of the other posts in the series, here they are:
- How climate change impacts your health…and your wallet
- Understanding how climate action redefines our future – Molly, Transatlantic Notes
- Travel with climate change – Jamie, JamieAdStories
- How climate change impacts animals – Caroline, Enviroline Blog
- How our need to shop is ruining our planet – A Sustainably Simple Life
- Residential solar panels: 2022 year in review– A Sustainably Simple Life
- How you can reduce your energy consumption and save money by saving the planet – Crisbie Coach
- 6 ways to reduce the environmental cost of experiences
- Returning to past habits – Smelly Socks And Garden Peas
- How green spaces help our planet A Sustainably Simple Life
- The benefits of active travel – Could it save you and the planet? – Midlife on Earth
- A Greener World – Debunking Myths About Climate Change – Molly, Transatlantic Notes
- Microforests – A tiny idea with big potential
- The impact climate change has on food security and how to help – Caroline, Enviroline Blog
- Reconnecting with nature and self by disconnecting from the world – A Sustainably Simple Life
- Wrapping Up Doesn’t Have to Be a Waste – Jamie, JamieAdStories
- It’s cold outside – The difference between weather and climate
- Our climate action does not need to be perfect – Molly, Transatlantic Notes
- How climate change in the Arctic affects us all
Thank you, Krista, for being part of our Climate Change Collective and for sharing your personal story and ways cities and individuals can help.
What are your thoughts on how we can increase housing supply in a sustainable manner? Tell me your ideas below.
A fabulous post that highlights the importance of preserving green space instead of consuming every last drop of space in the effort to continue urbanizing. Thanks for sharing this and helping spread the word!
Thanks for dropping by and commenting.
Green space is so important. Our UK cities are growing and towns are merging and it is sad to see fields replaced with buildings.
It is sad for sure, Jamie. I fear that the current housing crisis here in Canada is leading to decisions that will haunt us in the future. As another reader commented, “There’s no going back” after development occurs.
What wonderful point about the Greenbelt. There’s no going back once it’s been developed either. I hope the efforts to save the greenbelt succeed!
You’re so right when you say there’s no going back. As the worst forest fire season rages across Canada and our air quality is worse than it has ever been, I had someone say to me yesterday “Well…the government’s carbon tax clearly doesn’t work. Isn’t it supposed to prevent this kind of thing?” We have gone WAY beyond prevention. Our Earth is on life support yet governments continue to give in to large corporations. It makes me want to scream.
I read this important blog post as smoke from larger-than-normal fires in Quebec wafts through New England. And recently we had smoke from fires in Nova Scotia, I think. I agree that preserving green space — on a mega level (your greenbelt, the Amazon, etc.) and on a micro level (parks and community gardens near high-rises) is crucial. I can’t say or write it too many times — plants breath out what we humans/animals breathe in and vice versa! We have a deep interconnectedness with the plant world.
We also have air quality warnings from the wildfires to the East. A couple of weeks ago we were affected by the fires in the west. My daughter is in Toronto today and she says the air actually smells smoky. It is so important that we protect the ecosystems that literally support every breath we take. I just don’t understand why EVERYBODY doesn’t see that.
Thank you for sharing, Michelle. I knew nothing about the Ontario Greenbelt…oh my. I understand the varying perspectives, but preserving that beautiful space seems essential.
It is a difficult balance. I understand the need for housing, but I’m skeptical of our current government’s motives…and I’m not sure the housing they’re proposing will solve our current affordability crisis.
So good that you’re doing all you can to elevate the concerns! 😉
I actually hadn’t heard about this Ontario Greenbelt before, but it’s such a great example of the challenges we face with needing more housing, but also desperately needing to protect our green spaces. The neighbourhood I’m in has a number of highrises going up as well. I live in a three story building and I keep wondering when it’s going to get turned into something bigger.
That’s another problem about these highrise developments. They often displace other affordable rental housing which only exacerbates our homelessness problem. I don’t know what the answer is but I’m concerned about the impacts of all this urbanization and development.