SUSTAINABLE HOUSING PRACTICES

Sustainable Housing Practices for Kamloops

Transition moments in life I have read, are time of great opportunity. As I ponder becoming part of RareBirds  building project  thus leaving my single family house I am finding an entirely new perspective on what  “sustainable” might mean in terms of community. Partly this more expansive view is due to the reading I have done. In particular, two books; Presence by Peter Senge, et al. (thanks Dan) and Sacred Headwaters by Wade Davis (thanks CBC). Current events have also played a role, namely, that 2011 foreclosures in Kelowna rose tenfold over previous years and the controversy over an open pit mine development within Kamloops city limits.

In the search for community, ie having a relationship with the people who provide our services, grocers, hairdressers, etc. as well as being able to walk to the library, art gallery, theatre, restaurants, we want to live downtown. Thus we envisioned our group of six separate couples/singles building a “family home” in the downtown core. In addition, an astute real estate agent suggested that it would be the best area in terms of investment as the land would always hold its value.

This remark, along with ideas from the two books, prompted me to start thinking about how sustainable a downtown core of single family homes was. Simply stated, the big three ideas are that we are all connected, what happens in China affects us; second, past, present, future are inseparable, we are affected by what happened in the past and what we do affects future generations; thirdly, the earth is an entity of finite resources.

I tried to envision the home we would build now as it would be a hundred years from now, would it be demolished, would our idea of cohousing be compelling enough that people would still inhabit it. About the same time, the news of Kelowna foreclosures broke. A picture of entire abandoned neighbourhoods in the USA arose. I became aware of my conviction that capitalism based on constant growth is in its final stages and we must imagine a new way of conducting ourselves. The idea of reconfiguring present structures using minimal resources came to mind. For example, one couple already lives in a downtown condo. I tried to imagine how purchasing 2 more condos in that complex could house us all, as well as allowing us to share daily meals, a communal living area etc. We could make the downstairs in one particular condo our communal kitchen,another  our communal living room etc. One of group suggested we might be able to take over the top floor of another complex that may be more suitable for our purposes. These are just ideas that could lead to more creative solutions for our home.

As well there is the current controversy of the Ajax open pit mine proposal to be developed within Kamloops city limits. As I live in a beautiful city with no industrial development to speak of, why I wondered, would I consider moving to live next to an open pit mine in a city that already has a pulp mill and a large mine just outside its limits. It’s the people within the group of course, they already live there. First nations quoted in the Wade Davis book say, “If you love the land, stay.” Live with the consequences of your actions in other words. First nations have another idea, accept that you will harm the environment as development occurs but consider how much development you will accept. They say that a generation can accept one new mine and when that one is exhausted and the land rehabilitated another mine can be accepted. The land is our garden, our water container, our provider of all materials.

 There is much to ponder but with the help of friends, involvement of community, the answers will arise.