An Invitation to the Trib's Editorial Board
The Tribune editorialized that St. George is “a giant strip mall punctuated by water-guzzling golf courses.” This must be based on ignorance. Though we do have a variety of retail stores and several tremendous golf courses, the board members either have not spent much time down here or never got off the major thoroughfares.
I would like to have them down here to show them some fabulous areas off the main arterial roads. Right by my house (I live just off Highway 18 across from a retail center) are pristine areas that are unimaginable to many urbanites. We could even walk there, if that would somehow add to the experience.
Also, as far as I could decipher it, the editorial board either doesn’t think Washington County should plan for the future (and, I guess, should do something to freeze time) or the board thinks a good plan is not on the table.
It is naïve to suggest that growth in such a desirable community could just be stopped. Were it to be stopped, housing prices likely would race even further through the roof – chasing off any and all non-wealthy citizens. That would represent a sad change for the community. Already, the area is experiencing an affordable housing crisis -- which land could help ameliorate. A plan is needed to address these complexities. Remember: failing to plan is planning to fail.
So, I invite the members of the Trib’s editorial board to come down to St. George. Seriously. I am happy to arrange lodging and meals and put together an itinerary of some places that I think few spots on earth could rival. It sounds like I better leave off the golf, but that’s fine. There are plenty of other things to do.
Also, I would ask that the board put together its suggestions for the future of Washington County. As it should know, planning is complex. I’d ask that it deal with the realities of people actually living here and wanting good educational, recreational and occupational opportunities. The suggestions don’t need to be anything formal, but details of course would make it better.
I’ll put together a more formal invitation and we can coordinate on dates and the agenda. But I’m thinking late September might be good.
I would like to have them down here to show them some fabulous areas off the main arterial roads. Right by my house (I live just off Highway 18 across from a retail center) are pristine areas that are unimaginable to many urbanites. We could even walk there, if that would somehow add to the experience.
Also, as far as I could decipher it, the editorial board either doesn’t think Washington County should plan for the future (and, I guess, should do something to freeze time) or the board thinks a good plan is not on the table.
It is naïve to suggest that growth in such a desirable community could just be stopped. Were it to be stopped, housing prices likely would race even further through the roof – chasing off any and all non-wealthy citizens. That would represent a sad change for the community. Already, the area is experiencing an affordable housing crisis -- which land could help ameliorate. A plan is needed to address these complexities. Remember: failing to plan is planning to fail.
So, I invite the members of the Trib’s editorial board to come down to St. George. Seriously. I am happy to arrange lodging and meals and put together an itinerary of some places that I think few spots on earth could rival. It sounds like I better leave off the golf, but that’s fine. There are plenty of other things to do.
Also, I would ask that the board put together its suggestions for the future of Washington County. As it should know, planning is complex. I’d ask that it deal with the realities of people actually living here and wanting good educational, recreational and occupational opportunities. The suggestions don’t need to be anything formal, but details of course would make it better.
I’ll put together a more formal invitation and we can coordinate on dates and the agenda. But I’m thinking late September might be good.
posted by steve u. at 7/13/2006
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9 Comments:
So, do you think that St. George can just keep growing forever?
The earth and it's regions have a natural carrying capacity. The growth of desert cities like St. George is made possible by electric air conditioning, massive water projects and liberal supplies of gasoline needed to truck in food and all of the products you use, as well as to drive around, since the St. George area has virtually zero mass transit.
Now Mr. Urquhart, imagine what would happen if there were prolonged worldwide oil shortages (which may happen very soon, given the realities of our energy situation), and food couldn't be driven in or flown in to St. George. Could the St. George area grow enough food locally to support all of the people living there now? I highly doubt it. And if there was a serious oil crisis and you didn't have any gasoline stored and couldn't just go to the nearest station and fill up, how would you leave the St. George area? There are no railroad lines that pass thru St. George. It would be awful having to WALK from St. George to the nearest locale with good farmland.
I really think that the St. George area is a disaster waiting to happen. Right now life is good down there, because you enjoy all of the comforts that the oil age has brought you, and because of your hallucinated real estate market. But when the crap hits the fan, St. George is the last place I'd want to be stranded in. Every area will be hit hard, but some (like St. George) will be much worse than others.
Aw, man, now why did you go and do that? My neighbor just came out of his Y2K bunker last week. He read your comments, restocked on ramen noodles, and went back in.
On the upside though, his kids had bootlegged a Backstreet Boys cd into the bunker, and they were really starting to creep me out with their time-capsuled dance moves.
The sky is falling.
Things like Y2K have given many people a false sense of security. Worldwide peak oil production is completely different.
Check out:
www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net
It's written by Matt Savinar, an attorney from Santa Rosa, California. Notice that his site is replete with links and data to back up what he says. It's not written by some wacko environmentalist/doomsdayer.
Peak oil is not just another doomsday prophecy of left-wing nutjobs. The world's foremost energy investment banker, Matthew Simmons, grew up in Kaysville and understands the issue of peak oil quite well. He's written a book about Saudi oil production peaking, and he's even advised the Bush administration.
I recommend that you go to wikipedia and look up "peak oil." It will give you a pretty good primer on the issue.
By the way, oil production outside of the Middle East and a few former Soviet Union countries already peaked back in 1997. It's only a matter of time before the entire world passes peak, if it hasn't just barely.
Realize that virtually every facet of our modern lives depends on oil - the food we eat, the clothes we wear, our transportation, manufacturing, and even other energy sources.
Go ahead, scoff and laugh all you want. Sadly many people are in arrogant denial (or ignorance) of our serious energy problems.
But remember, you can either deal with reality, or reality will deal with you.
Peaknik-
While I dont disagree with you that we will not be able to sustain our current oil use forever, your doomsday scenario is shortsighted and unrealistic.
An oil shortage isnt going to happen over night, supply for oil will slowly diminish (like over 20-50 years). As supply decreases, prices will rise. But the higher gas prices will actually be good for investment in alternative energy as well as alternative sources for oil (the sand pits of Canada for example).
Basically, unless this is the exeption to all recorded history, the old technology will slowly transition out as new technology rises. It will make some people uncomfortable and poor, and it will make other happy and wealthy. And if history repeats, as it always does, it will cause others to declare "it's the end of the world".
P.S. here is an article from wired magazine about why high gas prices are good for america
wired article
Josh-
Read both pages of www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net
When you're done, you'll be hard pressed to disagree with the arguments presented. It might make you uncomfortable, but trust me, it's worth it.
Ummmmm, I don't have anything to say about oil (I thought your post was about the misconceptions of St. George), but am surprised by the Tribune. Although I only lived in St. George for 3 years, I don't think of strip malls or golf courses as a way to acurately characterize the area. When I think of St. George (and surrounding area) I think of Frei's Fruit Market, sand dunes in Snow Canyon, swimming nearly year round, the amazing sunsets and rain storms, the incredibly friendly and genuine people, finding hieroglyphics on forgotten canyon walls, etc . . . . Now that I reside in New York these are things that I really miss! I'm sorry the Tribune choose to editorialize St. George in this way.
And we miss you. You can come back, you know.
Utah Peaknik & the SL Trib:
Although I too am concerned about oil, I like Josh's response. We'll work through it. I wish we'd started sooner, but the market will force it as prices continue to increase and supply decreases. And . . . St. George most certainly isn't alone in the event we have oil shortages! That's not the issue at hand, so let's get back to the Trib's editorial . . .
St. George and southwest Utah as a whole is a wonderful place to live. Certainly there are challenges with growth, but contrary to the SL Trib's editorial, there are many good people in state and local government who have worked and are currently working diligently to plan for the future. It's not easily done!
As one who spent 30 years in SLC and the last 11 in St. George, I can tell you there are many good reasons people are attracted to southern Utah! I still love the SLC area, but come on, Trib, you're just a little too much like the pot calling the kettle black!!! It seems typical for other areas who've failed to stop growth, protect the environment, etc. to criticize and act as though they now have all the answers to up-and-coming places like southern Utah. I don't think we are naive down here. We don't want to become SLC! That's why we need to plan, have planned, are planning for the future. But you can't please everybody. You can't stop growth without negative consequences to those who're already here.
I appreciate the Trib's right to speak on the subject, but I wish they would come on down, get involved and get educated before they spout off in such an uninformed and hypocritical manner.
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