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Good citizens answer

The news business is full of calls to action, either reported by us or driven by our editorial writers and columnists.
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The news business is full of calls to action, either reported by us or driven by our editorial writers and columnists.

But often the issues we raise, either through our own serendipity or the good management of others, are already on the burner.

Last week, I wrote twice about waste and resource management.

In the first case, I advocated for a broader Red Deer waste management program; one that included kitchen waste composting and a larger envelope for recycled goods.

In the second case, I argued that the province needed to be more proactive about how it managed our water resources. The province maintains that its regional management system is effective even if it is different than the central control model used elsewhere. (In our case, that means the City of Red Deer manages the system.)

This week, I took part in a phone survey that the City of Red Deer has launched, using Edmonton-based Banister Research and Consulting.

The questions were wide-ranging and demanded a level of engagement in both the issues and the current standards. Topics included garbage handling, recycling, water quality and usage, and composting.

The interviewer asked about the garbage-bag limit (five at the moment) and whether it was appropriate.

He asked about whether more items should be included in blue box pickup, and whether our household would support a kitchen waste compost program.

He asked about imposing outdoor water use limits, and even whether I knew where waste water outside ended up.

He asked if the quality of Red Deer water was acceptable (in terms of taste, smell and colour) and if the hardness or softness of the water was appropriate.

He asked about the operation of the landfill and the quality of garbage pickup service.

He asked about the kick-it-to-the-curb trials the city has run, if I took part and whether I supported the program.

In short, over the course of 10 to 15 minutes, with questions that required ratings on a number of subjects, the survey gathered plenty of information.

It’s just the kind of information gathering that helps inform quality decision making, and in fact it will help in the establishment of a new Waste Management Master Plan in Red Deer.

The trick, of course, is to make certain that the information gathered is solid.

And that means anyone who receives a call from the consultants who are conducting the survey should take the time to answer the questions, with thought and in good conscience.

The last Vital Signs report on Red Deer sent mixed messages about where we stand on the environment and our enjoyment of our natural surroundings.

On one hand, the report rated our green spaces and parks systems as the community’s greatest strength.

But on the other, Vital Signs reported that survey respondents rated environmental issues as no more than the seventh most pressing issue in the community.

We can’t have it both ways. If we value our parks and green spaces, we have to be consistently supportive of the initiatives that, over the longer term, will have the biggest impact on those greenspaces.

And that means waste and water.

Eight hundred responses are sought to the city’s survey on waste management. Here’s your call to action: when the phone rings, and you’re asked to respond to the survey, say yes. And be prepared to answer the questions.

That’s the kind of good management required of every citizen.

John Stewart is the Advocate’s managing editor.