Raise the Hammer

I have to admit I had never heard of Ontario Northland. Seems unfortunate. Great that we now are landlords instead of tenants on 65% of the network GO runs on regarding the Metrolinx/CN deal.

A few lanes of rail used for commercial only I would think would have far less environmental impact and not encourage the sprawl that is feared would come with the build such as has happened in sections of the 407. Less disruptions on wildlife, much less vehicles emitting pollutants both on what would have been on a new highway, and from what has moved from a moving vehicle on the QEW to the new rail lines.

Now from the NGTA site it seems on the surface that all options of transport are being considered but of course the only buzz words I hear are highway, highway, highway. And GO of course which will surely help a great deal getting it running all the way to Niagara but it doesn't solve the high need to leave our cities for work or the number of trucks on the road and trucks, buses, etc. don't seem to have any e-testing standards assigned to them so one would think a heavy focus on this type of solution and alternate transportation options would be an even higher priority.

I'd like us to be less dependent on air transport of goods rather than building an aerotropolis to encourage more of it. I bought an XO1.5 One Laptop Per Child for the kids for Christmas because it looked like a very durable, education minded, spill and dust and drop proof option to get them their own computer. But it cost $40 for shipping (+ who know what for customs), it's coming all the way from Colorado, they don't sell them in retail stores, but we could probably buy a bunch for a cause and save my little 5lb package travelling all that way by it's lonesome and then you or the next person all ordering one item each day and all these shipments coming separately.

EBay is great for these kinds of specialty items, but I'd love to see a local startup that looks to reduce shipping costs for consumers and more importantly, better organize our online purchasing to reduce the carbon footprint that the EBay's and other online retailers encourage.

Comment edited by lawrence on 2012-10-31 10:29:53