Top 5 huh? Where to start
Off the top of my head here are my thoughts:(Please don't read this if you are overly politically correct it's just my point of view - and some opinions are liable to change with time.)
1. Dependancy on oil. Got to stop needing the stuff before we wreck Alberta and the oil sands area. On a side note: Personally I think that we should consider anyone who works on that patch as akin to soldiers who commit war crimes. "Just following orders" doesn't cut it my friend. What you are doing is wrong, wrong, wrong and you have the choice to not do it. Follow through and you are a criminal. Necessity is the mother of invention. If we don't get a billion barrels of oil out of there we have to live without it. Let's start working out how to do that now rather than pretend that we have an endless supply. It's pure greed and not only at a corporate level.
2. Pay our politicians like we pay our top business people. Make politics an aspirational career by rewarding high achievers. Paying MLAs like middle managers gets us... well, middle managers doing really senior jobs. Does it work? You tell me. We need LEADERS in politics not politicians. People who can make a stand and paint a clear vision.
3. Make long term impacts on the planet much more important than short term gain. For instance so what if the fishermen can't make enough money off smaller quotas? They will when the price of fish accurately reflects the true cost to the planet. Go find another job in the meantime. I mean once upon a time stoking coal fired steam engines was a job for someone then life moved on. Protecting old jobs should never be a reason for impeding progress in the light of new knowledge. Side note: Stop fish farming. If the ocean can't supply it we've got to find better ways of feeding ourselves.
4. Mandate that everything that is manufactured be compostable or recyclable. If it can't be then tax the crap out of it. That'll change supply behaviours which will then turn consumer behaviours. Waiting for the other way around is too slow. Oh and price in the future cost of the energy to recycle it. Barbie's new doll's house isn't looking so attractive at $700 is it? Packing?.. Don't get me started.
5. Make obesity a criminal offence. That will cut down on resource consumption and buy us some more time to work out the solutions. Controversial I know but it's not entirely a flippant comment.
Now I'm just getting going... there's buy local, ban religion (just kidding on that one). I'm looking forward to seeing what other people post.
