Capitalism cause of wildfires

Through fire and flames, June 6

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It’s time for the government of Canada to take responsibility for the massive carbon pollution being caused by both industrial logging and wildfires, and to put in place a comprehensive strategy to reduce these emissions.

MICHAEL POLANYI NATURE CANADA

Much of the current wildfire problem across Canada and around the world is blamed generically on climate change, but few if any media organizations drill down to analyze why they have become such a serious issue in modern society, who is ultimately responsible and who should pay.

On all three counts the answer is corporate capitalism.

While giving us what we want, they have consumed the world over the last two centuries.

Wildfires are a direct result of clear-cut logging practices which harvest the lumber but leave behind billions of tons of debris drying out in the forests.

Replanting programs make the problem even worse.

Clearing this debris costs money and cuts into profit margins of big corporations so like factories and other production facilities they ignore their toxic byproducts and simply pump them into our rivers and lakes.

The mercury poisoning at Grassy Narrows is an egregious example of a toxic chemical related to paper mills.

All of this is left for the taxpayers to clean up while corporations take all the credit for the products, jobs and profits that their operations bring.

Once again greed drives profits with all of its ugly sides.

Governments have been handsoff enthusiasts to the private sector shovelling money their way to get re-elected.

So before we herald a new VW plant in Windsor we should step outside and breathe deeply. What you’re smelling in the smoky air is the smell of toxic success.