A New Kind of NIMBY: Nature in My Backyard

by David Suzuki, founder David Suzuki Foundation

On reading about the growing resistance to a mega-quarry being proposed for southern Ontario, I had an epiphany about the media’s use of the term NIMBY, for “not in my backyard.” It’s normally used to describe grassroots efforts to block everything from landfills and windmills to big box stores and bike lanes. NIMBYism has taken on a negative association, often implying naive or parochial resistance to projects that challenge the status quo in a community.

But NIMBYism isn’t always bad. Although it can arise out of fear of something new or different in a community, it can also be the result of genuine concern for the local environment. I’d like to propose a new kind of NIMBY, one that is positive and reflects a true sense of caring for our communities. Let’s go green and say yes to Nature in My Backyard.

To read more, go to:  http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/david-suzuki/environment-canada_b_872869.html