A decade of change

G'day SEE-Changers! Having lived in Canberra, on and off, for the past 30 years, I've seen a lot of change. Some of it has seen Canberra reaching its potential as the national capital and a planned city-state, a bit aloof from other metropolitan areas. Part of it has been watching a slow decline in the natural environment, as growth and drought outpaced sensible decision making.

As a member of SC and a committed non-sceptic on climate change, I hope these blogs will provide a few words and thoughts about the green dreaming that SC demonstrates. Dreaming, and acting on those dreams to shift us towards a better future, that's what SC does.

The decade just past was full of change, and most of what springs to mind is negative: tsunami, crashing towers, financial crisis, bush fires and floods, and accelerating warnings of worse to come.

But the decade that we are in now is also full of hope. There has never been anything that can surpass local community action for sensible, resilience-building initiatives. After the recent abundant rains, optimism springs up with every new blade of grass. In my green dreams there are corridors of edible landscapes, tended by community enterprises. But I am getting ahead of myself, and the day begins.

Today a bike ride to Woden, to pick up items for next week's departure for India. When I park my bike outside the top of Woden Plaza, I will remember there used to be a water feature but now there is just a patch of unfriendly sun-drenched concrete. I will be dreaming of a European style piazza, with a real fountain kids can splash in, surrounded by lush lawn, big trees, and a covered portico dripping with ripe grapes, that provide adventure, a covered walkway and real pride. The herb maze thrills visitors and offers healthy garnish for sandwiches and cafes. People are employed to look after all this, and to nourish my green dreams.

This is the decade, we are the people and this is the place to make green dreams reality.