For nearly the past fifteen years, I, along with the rest of the immediate family, make the annual trek to grandma and grandpa’s house just outside of Twin Falls, Idaho. Over the years I have noticed three unique, but I suspect related, observations: The trip from Salt Lake to Tremonton has grown increasingly urbanized, the smog can be seen further and further north, and their has been less and less snow on the mountains every year. During this particular trip, I couldn’t help but notice the high voltage power poles being placed between Brigham City and Tremonton.
We walk a fine line between the needs of nature and the needs of man. Indeed, much of this growth has been very beneficial in staving off the worst of the current recession we are nose deep in, however something must be said about the affect this is having on us in both the short and long term.
As I am writing this post, I am sitting comfortably outside of Saint George – an area with clear skies and steady (but increasingly sprawling) growth. It is easier to get around, and frankly, breathe because of the lack of muck in the air and relatively low number of cars on the road.
But I grow concerned over the utter lack of planning many communities in Utah, and indeed around the nation, show towards the issue of smart growth. It is no secret to say that this state often favors developers and their needs over the needs of the environment and future generations. Indeed, many lawmakers are directly connected to development related companies, and as I see the increased pollution affecting our day-to-day well being, I have to wonder if this is for the best.
As I see the lack of snow on this years mountains’ I wonder if others see the change too. I wonder if the ranchers and cattlemen notice this as well – I know I noticed this year when once fertile fields became prairie around mile marker 20.
Governor Herbert will be convening a summit on climate change soon, to determine if it is real and, if so, it is a man made phenomenon. Though I am sure this will be nothing more than a sham; concluding that it is not happening and/or not caused by man; I hope that policy makers might actually wake up to the fact that things are changing in a very real way.
The need to build homes and roads is a very real one, but the need to have an environment worth living in in the first place is also quite real. One day the environment will recover, the question is will we be around when it does.
Even if climate change is utterly natural, it does not mean that we should not plan for it. If it is man-made, even in the slightest, then we should do all we can to reduce the impact it will have on us in the future – this means that we need to be smarter with our choices. One way or another, it is going to cost us…but I am reminded of the old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
