Okay, so it's cold here. We know that there will be snow and sub-zero temperatures for a good part of the year. But does it somehow make people here entitled to do whatever they please to the environment?
There's probably something about being in a small northern community that still encourages the frontier spirit and independent nature. People in these places are used to doing things for themselves and not having anyone tell them what they can and can't do.
But today it's a different world than it was.
Today, problems in the Ivory Coast are making our chocolate bars more expensive, protestors in Libya, pro-democracy protestors are changing the price of oil.
We all share the same air space, we all rely on the water cycle that feeds the planet and we all play a part.
In fact, we play a larger part than most.
In our society, we have more cares per capita and use more energy by far than most other cultures.
An anti-idling bylaw in Fort St. James is not going to fix this imbalance or save the world, but it is going to be a start.
This bylaw would acknowledge that all great changes start with one little step and we can all contribute with just a little effort.
And why can't Fort St. James make a difference?
Look around at other communities when you visit them. At their municipal facilities and government buildings, many communities already embraced anti-idling rules.
Is it really that much easier for Prince George or Williams Lake than it would be for the Fort?
I don't think so.
Not to mention a bylaw like this is not meant to penalize people who might warm their cars up for a few minutes in -30, but only to be used as a reminder that making a difference can be as simple as turning a key.