On the web site Reimagine Christchurch
http://www.reimaginechristchurch.org.nz/forums/105253-reimagine-christchurch
people are demanding a much greener, sustainable city. There is an
online petition started Lou Warren of Diamond Harbour,
http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-new-zealands-government-christchurch-rebuild-must-lead-the-world-in-sustainability-2
which now has 4174 signatures (17 April, 2011) calling for that sort
of planning.
I agree with the general objective, but it takes more than planning, to
make a city. The sort of city we will build depends on what people
choose to do. We need in New Zealand, what James Gustave Speth calls "a
new culture of consciousness" if we are going to make a sustainable city
called Christchurch. That means we have to change who we are and become
different people, with really modern outlooks and ideas. We have to
invent and install a new form of open governance. We have to learn to
live with much less material consumption and perhaps with much less
money. We are probably going to create a knowledge Society, although on
the face of it that seems unlikely. Second best in my view is the
concept of a creative society, which seems easier and less exacting. We
have the opportunity to seriously address our own contributuion to
climate change, or we can ignore it.
More here:
http://johnsveitch.blogspot.com/