Which sense was most disturbing was hard to decide - the stench, the ruined taste of the gum, or the sights - piling heaps of garbage, and just the glimpse of the line of cars heading towards the dump site [yup, including myself] contributing to growing problem as dump sites fill, and new ones open.
Many of us have relived some of our childhood memories and games recently - whether at the playground or playing pick-up sticks =P. One game that [unfortunately] seems to stick with us throughout all our lives is the blame game. I avidly follow cbc.ca/news, and it's interesting / disappointing (depending on my mood, perhaps) to watch the commenters bicker and point their finger at whoever they believe is guilty of the mess.
I suppose it's felt like a Year of the Strikes, and this Toronto Labour Strike is just one of the disputes that seem have disturbed the lives of Torontonians. Within minutes of another new article, a comment war continues with netizens blaming the unions, and the same argument accusing the government.
I've gotten used to these arguments, and before I move on in this note - I guess I'll give a bit of a personal opinion. It's easy to blame the Union - especially in a time like this, with most people losing their jobs; anger spurs when 24 000 people are sent out to strike over an issue such as the transferability of sick days. Then again, it's just as easy to blame the government for letting this problem get out of hand. It's all a big mess - but just like the recent videos of the Canadian Senate establish - the main conflict lies in the front line of the discussion table, that simple lack of respect, and the need for eye-to-eye communication. But I appreciate this system of discussion - to bring to the table the needs and rights, as well as responsibilities of the people; it's just that too often, the table isn't that fair "Round Table" that we would like, but filled with disrespectful and dictator-like individuals that corrupt the functionality of all those sitting at the table.
But you know, this is simply a small problem compared to the larger problem that we're trying to mask, trying to hide - as we sweep our troubles under the rug.
In this case, where the trouble is our garbage, and our rug is this beautiful earth, this living carpet that we continue to defile with our waste, our toxins, and our consumerism.
Take a look. Visit a dumpsite. And just imagine the large piles of garbage that we produce daily. The Christie Pits dumpsite have already closed - within days, the local neighbourhood filled up the outdoor skating rink, and now they have to open new dump sites. Those nearby are protesting along with the CUPE strikers - because of the stench and the sights that have ruined a beautiful city park. Oh, and now they have to get the entire trash rink sprayed with pesticides because of a pest infection. Hmmm.
And so, instead of sweeping the trash under the rug for once, this short strike [well, that's what I'm hoping for... though two weeks in, it's hard to say "short" anymore] has allowed the peak of that trash to surface. Now, the Titanic has showed us the fate of luxury heading towards the peak of our troubles - and I would hope we can start to turn the ship around.
But at least in the present time, it's clear what we've been doing. We're back to the blame game; whether it's the developed countries or the developing countries, the consumer or the industry, the government or the businesses, the Liberals or the Conservatives, the city or the province, whatever. However, in this ship - there is no captain, because the fate of all of us on Earth is the same, and thus, responsibility should be shared. I am not saying that some people do have more people than others, countries with more influence than others - but without eye-to-eye communication at the same level - we're not going to get this done.
And ultimately, the guilt is more overpowering than the stench. I'm just wondering how long it'll take before we can even start to realistically take action to turn this ship around. I'm just wondering when we'll be able to see each other as human beings on this planet, in the global village with a global crisis - and realize the responsibilities that lie in everyone's hands.
We are the World. We are the Children.
But that doesn't mean we should act like children.
And that goes to everyone. Politicians and citizens, businessmen and consumers alike.
Everyone.
You and Me.
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