Canberra Sprawl

Australia is on the pointy end of global warming. Many Australian cities are experiencing long spells of exceptionally hot weather, diasterous bush fires have been raging and fresh water is in short supply, with many dams and reservoirs at historically low levels. In a continent that is already very dry the long term direction of the weather is alarming.

Given the potential impact on Australia of global warming, it is particularly depressing to read that Canberra has decided to continue sprawling out and build some 15 more suburbs. Although I don't agree, the reasoning behind the development is not hard to understand. House prices in Canberra are ridiculously high and there is ample land on which to build new houses relatively cheaply. Moreover, there is probably extremely strong demand for more housing stock, and most likely strong demand for the typical Australian home: the three bedroom, wood framed, brick veneer bungalow in the suburbs.

I understand why these new suburbs are being built. Nonetheless, I find the fact that Canberra has simply decided to follow existing practice and build hundreds or thousands of new, single family homes to be depressing. Every new house built will require one or two cars to move the inhabitants from home to work and back again. The folks living there will have to drive to their local supermarket, drive to schools near and far to drop off and pick up their children, and drive to the doctor and dentist. Every house will have its own relatively inefficient heating and air conditioning system that will ultimately come at the cost of burning coal for power.

Are there no other models that Canberra could adopt? The Dutch and Germans seem to be able to organize compact, high-density cities and towns where a very large percentage of the population can, and do, commute by bike and public transport. I live in Germany, don't own a car, ride a bicycle to drop off my children at daycare and walk to pick up my groceries. It is actually very pleasant, although I do miss driving and enjoy the odd times that I get to rent a car. Moreover, the measures that Germany is implementing to reduce CO2 emissions are quite impressive, ranging from substantial fuel taxes and energy taxes through to aggressive implementation of wind power across the country.

So what is going on in Australia? Australia is certainly rich enough to effect change and is already feeling the affects of global warming. If nothing else, I would have thought the fact that one of Australia's leading exports is coal, invariably destined to be burnt in Chinese power plants, would have induced a certain amount of chagrin and concern for doing the right thing as far as possible domestically. So, do Australians think that the Canberra development model is just fine? The Australian dream of a separate house, backyard and multiple cars certainly seems alive and well. The problem however, is that even if every inhabitant of these new suburbs eats organically, grows their own vegetables, cycles to work once or twice a week, carpools or uses park and drive stations, Australia is not going to reduce the amount of CO2 emitted per person.

That Canberra is continuing to follow the standard Australian model of development in late 2009, over a decade after Kyoto, is utterly depressing. It strikes me as an almost wilful failure to acknowledge reality and a profound failure of imagination and will. Can Canberrans only conceive of brand new suburbs as the way to house a growing population? Is this how Australia is going to rise to the challenge of global warming? I would have liked to have thought of Canberra, and Australia generally, as a place of innovation, of being concerned with the challenges of the 21st Century and having the guts to deal with them. But I guess I was mistaken about the Australian character: "she'll be right" seems to have considerable precedence over honesty and guts, even if it is going to hurt our own grandchildren.

Afghanistan

So there is a debate in the US and Europe right now about Afghanistan, and what policy NATO and the UN should pursue. In the US I get the feeling that the debate is somewhat more acute for a number of factors that are interesting in themselves. In any case, much of the debate seems to swirl around whether more US or European forces should be sent into Afghanistan, in the hope that more security can be provided for the civilian population and that the recent Taliban gains can be reversed.

On the other side of the argument are various parties, including some American Republicans and Democrats, along with a fair proportion of the US and European public who are arguing that after eight years enough is enough, and it is time to withdraw.

I feel really torn on this debate, as both sides have strong arguments. Obviously, this is a case of choosing the least bad option, but even viewed from that angle I still can't get my head around a good way to evaluate the choices. Given the size and remoteness of Afghanistan, the forbidding terrain, language and religious barriers, lack of unifying institutions, lack of rule of law, corruption, drug-based economy and a host of other factors, keeping NATO forces in the country seems utterly ludicrous.

Yet, if the NATO forces withdraw, it seems reasonable to believe that the Taleban are highly likely to resume control over the country by force. The obvious worst case, which is by no means a remote possibility, is that a Taliban victory in Afghanistan could potentially destablize Pakistan right next door, and that is a potential nightmare scenario.

I tend to think that keeping such a large troop presence in Afghanistan will have to end at some point, and given that the situation on the ground is not improving, we may as well withdraw sooner than later. But, as I said, I would hate to have to make this particular agonizing call. For what I believe it ultimately means is that we will be consigning the country to the Taliban, which is not a pleasant thought.

But what really gets my goat is when really well informed commentators, including people like Glenn Greenwald, ignore the likely outcome of the withdrawal of NATO forces. I find it highly doubtful that the Afghan people or their leadership will come together and "work it out" as he said in a recent interview on MSNBC. I can see a great many strong reasons to withdraw our troops, but we should at least honestly acknowledge what the likely outcome and cost of that withdrawal will be.

Ambition

One of the good sides of getting older is that you sometimes come to learn things about yourself that were always kind of there, hidden away in the background, but that never quite made it into conscious thought.

One of the things that I am learning is that I am just not that ambitious, at least not as defined by the usual meaning of the word. Although nice worldly goods are pleasant, and I certainly wouldn't be happy living in a complete dump, I just don't desire a huge mansion, shiny new car or high-profile job. Cars depreciate, big houses aren't necessarily filled with joy and a high-profile job would likely be high-stress and extremely busy, all of which just leaves me feeling cold.

I like having time with my family, time to myself to think and wonder, and time to spend with friends. I wish I had more time to write silly blog entries and sit in churches and wonder at history. I only get one chance to live my life, and I don't want to turn sixty or seventy and realize that I spent most of my adult life in an office, chasing promotions or more money, to the detriment of my family and my life.

Apart from my fascination with technology, I guess this is one reason why I like software as an area in which to work. It allows you to specialize, be competent and committed to good work, to work hard yet still able to go home in the evening to relax, while nonetheless earning reasonably good money.

The things for which I now do harbor ambition are much more intangible. I really want my children to have as many opportunities as possible. I want to be surrounded by family and friends and community. I want to listen to music, think and be intellectually engaged. I want to be able to contribute in a direct and meaningful way to society and the community.

In many ways, this is simply what I have always wanted and who I have always been. It has just taken me a while to realize just how important it is for me. And for a very social person who nonetheless finds it hard to make friends, I've never really had enough of a social network for my taste, despite having made many great friends over the years.