I refer to your article, ‘How green is the new library?’ (Independent, page 4, July 18).
Thousands of years ago, stadiums were built, having a crowd capacity of 100,000 spectators, and which could be evacuated in ten minutes flat if there was an emergency. But for some bizarre notion, structures that old need to be kept in ruins, these civic buildings could continue to be used today.
The article mentions a decrease in the price of solar panels and other ‘advances in environmental technologies’ as a reason for why they are now being considered or may be considered in the future. As an eternal student of sustainability, one of the very, very first items I became aware of is that sustainability is not being advanced, it is being rediscovered — including the harnessing of the sun’s light and heat.
Mr Hartwich of Wilson Architects in Brisbane says that the items mentioned in the article will allow the civic space to function for years to come. I ask: what is then planned? Why not generations to come? Why not centuries to come? How often do the materials and energy being used come our way via geological, biological and/or astronomical processes?
Sustainability is not a luxury, a feature to be ‘factored in’ or an option.
Sustainability is whether or not we can collectively continue that which we are presently doing. If not then, by definition, we are contributing to our own destruction.
Tom Livanos
tom.369@hotmail.com
