WILL THEY BE COMING TO TAKE OUR CARS AWAY?

You know, while it's been in the back of my mind for a few years now, this straight up, in your face, no apologies article may be the first I've read in our local paper. The article is titled "Strike against climate change must include strike against cars". Sure it's a radical suggestion as far as Canadians changing their lifestyles but holy crap, do any of us any longer believe that the results of climate change are not going to radically change how we live?

The article in today's Waterloo Region Record is written by Jonathan Klassen, a fifth year general arts student at the University iof Waterloo. Mr. Klassen's recommendations make serious sense. They include greater emphasis on providing car, van and truck rentals. This I suspect would immediately reduce our spur of the moment jumping in the car to save five minutes walking to the corner store etc. Dramatically increase the numbers and frequency of buses through residential areas. This is the carrot approach and likely would increase public transit ridership dramatically. Thirdly create pedestrian only zones. He suggests that the Kitchener core bordered by Cedar St., Duke, Victoria and Joseph/Church St. should prohibit all traffic except for emergency vehicles, bikes and the Ion.

Mr. Klassen has other suggestions all of which make a lot more sense to me now than they did even a decade ago. Am I at the age of seventy prepared to voluntarily give up my car? Hell no although a big part of that is much less comfortable walking than I was blessed with for six decades plus. Nevertheless when I look at the coming crisis and compare comfort to survival of not only me but of younger generations, then I have to pause and reconsider.