Environmental sustainability and economic development can be considered contending imperatives. We as humans have a burning desire for economic growth and prosperity, while at the same time we have a need for the resources the planet provides us. Typically in order to grow our economy it requires that we deplete natural resources such as lumber, oil and minerals by means of deforestation, drilling and mining. It is important for us to realize that if we do not deal with environmental issues right now; the consequences could be devastating not only to ourselves, but to future generations. We are now seeing more and more concern for 'sustainable development' that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. But even with this growing concern we have not seen a substantial implement of a sustainable living that can guarantee our future generations the "Canadian Dream".
             What would happen if we let our society continue its current path without rethinking our values? It is very hard to conceive of our "powerful" nation and fast-paced, glittery way of life ending. I am sure that few Canadians can really picture what would happen. It is easiest to assume that we could remain indefinitely in this state of more or less comfortable obliviousness. As long as we have a fresh supply of new products around us, the instantaneous, superficial pleasures can keep us distracted. There have been many booming civilizations throughout human history that thought they were the pinnacle of existence and could never be defeated. But they all ended, sooner or later. The Greeks, the Romans, the Spanish, the British, etc; they are either taken over by another group, ruined by disease, or because of their inability to change they use up or degrade the resource base that sustained them (Easter Island). Current trends towards globalization and thus worldwide spread of ...