Ok, I'm not really much into name calling, etc. I think that, generally speaking, it defeats the purpose of a conversation. I suppose I could justify my enviro-luddite label for Mike Kakuk, but in reality, my emotions are running high and I'm resorting to name calling.
Mike's latest blog post, Is the price of convenience too high?, starts by acknowledging the destructive nature of idle-thrus but suddenly takes a wild right turn and demands that we examine the "bigger picture." The big picture, according to Mike, is that governments and car companies should make cars that will allow us to idle, guilt-free, with zero- and low-emission cars. He goes on to explain that in order achieve the perfect environment that we should all drive a horse-and-buggy and burn wood to heat our homes. (Truth be told, this is the part that wound me up).
Mike's solution to the whole problem!?!? Keep the drive-thru moving quickly by having people who want to order food go inside! Oh, come on man! The issue with drive-thru's isn't just the idling cars, but the volume of traffic, the impact on surrounding neighbourhoods and the exacerbation on our 'secluded' society. To think that Windsor and Essex County is subject to Mike's social babble every morning on AM800 scares the hell out of me. When someone with such a short view of the world around them is an integral part of the mass media machine we really have our work cut out for us.
I've often accused Mike and Lisa of throwing Mayor Francis a lob ball on his Tuesday morning spin session, but I really had no idea that the problem was this pervasive. I think the irony of this turn of events, at least in my mind, is that I decided that, aside from listening to the Mayor on Tuesday morning at 7:20, that I am an 1550AM (CBC Radio) man. I might only be one listener, but, as my favourite saying by Mahatma Ghandi goes, we need to be the change we wish to see in the world.
Last item -- here is a link to the Mayor's position on drive-thrus in mp3 format.
BTW: Don't forget to vote in the online poll that ends on 17 December. The question is Should drive-thru's be banned to improve the environment? Just click on the link to Mike's article (see above) and then scroll down on the right side. Let's show Windsor, Mike Kakuk and our city administration what we really think!
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12 comments:
Josh, honestly what do you expect?
The entire Moring Drive Crew seems to love the Suburaban lifestyle.
I have heard them all speak about their reseidences, Lasalle, Tecumseh, etc...
I doubt any of them live in an area that wasn't a farm field 10 years ago...
So long as they can get their coffee without being inconvienced by someone ordering a bagel in line...
Add that to the weekly Mayoral Softball contest, and they are truly pathetic.
You have to consider the source, however sadly they seem to truly speak for the masses. The majority of the Greater Windsor Metropolitan Area population seems to be of a similar mindset.
Mike Kakuk's "blog" is a one-way street. He is not interested in discussion, just his own personal soapbox. I have been trying to get him to post my comments on his blog, pointing him to scale down, but he has neglected to even offer me a response.
I feel that these "bloggers" who only offer their own myopic opinion, and not allow comments from readers, should be shunned in Windsor's blogosphere. They are just enjoying another venue for their provincial viewpoints, and we shouldn't engage in their game.
So shall it be said, so shall it be done. The enviro-luddite's blog is hereby shunned. He is welcome here for comment, however, anytime.
I think what Mr. Kakuk missed with respect to his rant about drive-thrus is what the general public misses all the time. The environmental damage that drive-thrus cause is not only limited to the emissions from idling cars. How about the fact that the edibles for purchase at a drive-thru are usually pseudo-food-like garbage that have no nutritional value? Environmentalism includes more than just cleaning our air--it also includes promoting a healthy lifestyle for people--a component of our eco-system as a prevention to disease. Human disease is damaging to the environment as well. Drive-thrus promote laziness under the guise of convenience and promote obesity through their pimping of McCrap. So Mr. Kakuk, What I think you need to do is get on your bike and ride it instead of writing silly, uninformed posts like that one.
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=b000fe37-3a11-49b8-b6be-b976ef8af2b7
An interesting little story about a Tim's in Edmonton.
Hey Josh,
One , i would love to have a healthy debate about this issue anytime.
2nd It took me so long to respond to your comments and post them because I am in mexico right now. They are posted.
Thanks for reading my blog glad to know I have such an influence on Windsor and Essex County.
Hey Mike, we're looking forward to the debate here with you on whether Windsor should keep drive thrus. I suspect you will you be taking up the pro side.
And, I wouldn't put too much stock in your influence in the city, no more so than I would in what the other lemmings are doing with or without a blog/exposure to an audience.
As I can't see the poll, chalk me down for against drive-thru's. It is a useless waste of time as I can usually (and I have done this with friends in the car) get my order just as fast inside (as they go through the drive-thru) or for a mere 25-30 seconds more walk in and walk out...without the backup on our road-ways and the damage to the environment (and your pocket book). Add to it the amount of people that would be walking giving some sort of density on our sidewalks one would think this was a no brainer.
I am no tree hugger but some things just make more sense.
By the way Mr. Kakuk, your questions to the mayor are worse than lob balls. They are truly sitting on a "T" like kids playing T-ball. Anyone can knock it out of the park.
In fact we at work play a game seeing who can come closest to how the mayor is going to respond to your questions. Try it! It is a lot of fun.
Hey Mike. Don't believe that it was Josh who wrote on your blog. I know Josh and he wouldn't be afraid to publish under his own name. That person was obviously trying to incite a battle of sorts. It was also obviously someone else who thinks you're comments are short sighted as well, to say the least.
It is our hope that people such as yourself - those lucky enough to have a soapbox that reaches tens of thousands of people a day - put a little more thought into the repurcussions of the statements they make. You have an oportunity to help shape the future of our city, and we can only hope that you do so with an informed opinion, not just a reflection of the thinking that has got us into this mess in the first place.
We need leaders in this community to show people the pitfalls to a lot of the decisions we make as residents. We need to try and dissuade folks from some of the nasty habits they have, and point them in the direction that will actually make our city more livable, economically viable and attractive to investment. Each of us makes decisions that affect the vibrancy of Windsor, and you owe it to those people in the community who are working towards a vibrant city to pitch in a lend a hand. The least you could do is cut out the ridicule.
Are you and your readers really Luddites?
I challenge you to join me for "Blog Inaction Day."
Invite your friends and readers.
I think that we've all been guilty of breaking "netiquette".
Wait for an announcement next week and you'll see some blog action.
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