High density housing defies just about everything that is needed to combat climate change.
Total reliance on council for water when we’ve seen how polluted that can become when a cyclone hits, total reliance on power companies for power when floods can quickly incapacitate supply.
Reliance on public transport when Cyclone Gabrielle quickly showed how quickly it can be stopped in its tracks, total reliance on supermarkets for veges when crops are so quickly destroyed in floods and fail to deliver.
High rise, high density housing because of the reduced roof area per unit limits the use of solar panels to provide an alternative source, absolutely no space for a water tanks to supply an alternative when water is either cut off or so polluted to be undrinkable.
Eight times waste and sewerage water output now from eight houses into storm water drains designed for only one.
No space for a garden when crops because of flooding fail to deliver.
In short governments and councils promote our dependency on them rather than being independent, which should be a number one strategy for each and every one’s survival as acceleration of climate change gathers momentum.
So when politicians or councillors talk about planning for climate change, they are either being grossly hypocritical, talking through a hole in their heads or, even worse, have vested interests in keeping acceleration of climate change going to keep them in employment.
Gary Hollis
Mellons Bay