Published -- 2/27/02
Written by Frank Carbone Jr.
Humans and Sardines
Sardines, as a source of omega-3 fatty acids, are very good for the human diet (the packers try to get as many as they can get into the can). This important part of the human diet is also called an “essential fatty acid.” Try a sandwich sometime of sardines, onions and mustard on Rye bread -- it’s delicious and good for you. But what isn’t good for us is when we are treated like sardines -- like packing as many as you can get into one particular region, in buildings or on the roads. The only difference is the human “packers” are making a lot more money.
Recent news reports about certain communicable disease cases in the region indicate certain authorities may not have been following procedures -- or they may need to take a look at [updating their existing operating procedures] for handling potential outbreaks of communicable disease. Micro-organisms that travel quickly through our environment -- are enabled by cross contamination, poor maintenance, poor planning and high population densities. Forcing children and adults into school buildings, work places, recreation, shopping centers, travel, flying and other gathering places with high human densities of people only serves to negatively impact our quality of life and at the same time put us at risk for illness, accident and crime. Those who can only see the dollar signs ($$$) will disagree. I could also write more on the subject of “sick building syndrome,” building maintainability and “risk management “-- perhaps I’ll do so in a future column.
As our region grows in population -- driven mostly by big business ventures and folks who only see the dollar signs and care not about the quality of life and the impacts to human health both mental and physical. Which town, municipality, county or state has a good plan to manage out of control development, sprawl and all of the ills that it brings? If not managed properly -- will pass on the failures of previous administrations and other serious impacts that will be felt long into the future.
Man-made creation of [high densities] of any living creature, man-made machines, infrastructures and unnecessary development (aka boondoggles) generally brings with it many different problems that are hardly ever addressed in Environmental Impact Statements or Studies (EIS). Towns and other entities have the power to look at a project and simply say “there is no environmental impact” then proceed with the project -- unless of course someone wants to raise the issues or sue through the courts.
Looking at the way regional/state public servants and business operatives have been working together (a red flag) -- it appears that we are headed towards a point of no return with unmanageable and out of control human densities and development. Roads in the region are saturated with traffic and gridlock at times. One local shopping center in Orange County locks up a whole town with the numbers of shoppers that it attracts and others are getting close to that scenario. Accidents, road rage, assaults, crime, communicable disease, asthma, cancers etc. are increasing and going off the chart each year -- driving up the cost of living, taxes, administration, police, fire, ambulance, emergency services, hospitals, schools, other services, etc. -- the list goes on. And while we are talking about crime -- there are still many unsolved murders or missing folks from our region. Increasing human population densities and even increasing the ratio of police officers is no guarantee that unsolved murders and crime will be reduced.
Some of the folks in the pro-development, pro-business community who are good at being “snake-oil salesmen” when they tell you that increased businesses and population densities are the best way to lower taxes. And I recently heard one representative from a pro-development think tank say that he would like to see housing of 4 or 5 units to one acre -- the red flag goes up.
Fresh water, domestic water or just plain, good, safe to drink water has been a problem in just about every community even remote areas of the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York where NYC has its 100,000 acre watershed -- and with no solution in site. Contaminated and in short supply -- whether on the surface or underground -- aquifers are becoming contaminated with many different types of chemicals and other contaminants that find their way into our homes and our bodies. The Town of Newburgh, in Orange County, had a problem several years ago, with water storage tanks that were contaminated with PCB’s. Native fish in some, possibly most NYC Reservoirs, are contaminated -- as are many other fish in many other waters of NY State.
The solution to many of our problems may be difficult and seem out of reach for the average American taxpayer. Many folks will never get involved in their community, will never speak-up, will never communicate with their public servants or government. They may feel powerless -- but we all have the power to affect change -- for the better.
Our First Amendment of Our Constitution states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
My best advice to anyone who plans to communicate with a public servant regarding an isssue that affects the community. Keep all of your communications in the open. Publish them in the local papers as a letter to the editor or as an OP Ed piece. Involve your community groups and clubs. If you are capable of writing, speaking, getting involved in our community -- just do it. Help or teach others how to get involved and get the best possible return on investment for your efforts.
Leaving all of the important decisions up to “fat cat” politicos and “snake-oil salesmen,” who make big bucks quickly, then leave the spoils and created problems for future generations to sort out, pay for dearly -- in myriad ways -- for the decadence of others who may be long gone.
You are more important than you think!