We need to try to have a positive impact on the earth, rather than a “less-negative” one. The culture of self-sacrifice and regulation that these initiatives promote has it’s place, but where is the inspiration to do things better from the ground up?

Striving for “zero” (and incidently likely never reaching it) means that we’re working within existing structures to drain our resources less quickly and poison our earth more slowly. William McDonough & Michael Braungart’s 2002 book “Cradle to Cradle” does a great job of looking at this issue. As a race, we have to take positive action to do more than slow environmental degradation, and more than use more recycled products. We need to create a new way of thinking, living and creating. We need to make our environment better and healthier.

To borrow an idea from the book, we need to be eco-effective, not just eco-efficient. I’m confident that the great minds in Guelph (city staff, UofG faculty staff and students, and the citizenry at large) could come up with some more creative, positive solutions.

We need to figure out how can make the earth better, not just how we can do things “less bad”.