Le Cahier Bleu

Make Wellington into an Eden

Wellington is the closest place to what Eden could look like. What would it take to make it complete?

Le 27 Septembre 2018 - Tags: opinion


Wellington. It is the closest place I know to Eden.

Anywhere you look, there are trees. Houses hang high, perched on rolling hills.

Wellington, its peaceful mornings waking up by sound of chanting birds.

An intertwined network of streets and paths, following the curves of the land, all leading to the harbour. All leading to its vibrant heart, its cafes, its restaurants, its theatres.

Its friendly people have crafted a fragile balance of culture and nature, where human kind lives in harmony with its environment.

A city curling in the ocean, guarded by the Tararuas kings.

Wellington could be the best city on the planet. However, to fully accomplish Wellington’s promise, we need to remove all sources of pollution. We need to remove any fossil fuel burning in our town, and only allow 100% clean and sustainable ways of transportation (from production to consumption). On the ground, on water, and in the air. Electric planes, electric boats, electric cars and electric buses. Cycle lanes everywhere. By achieving this, we will make our air clean, stop contributing to climate change, and remove noise. The quality of life we love here will be complete, and us too, will become complete, enjoying a privileged bond with nature.

Waterways need to be cleaned and remain clean. Plastic pollution should be removed by avoiding plastic everywhere possible. Recycling and composting should be mandatory for all rubbish, to almost remove the need for a landfill. Littering should be severely fined.

We should demand all food to be organic and all meat should come from free range farms. While choice should be left to the individuals, emphasis should be made on vegetarian lifestyle to help reduce carbon emissions due to cattle.

The city should be drowned under trees. There shouldn’t be one street left where trees are not seen. Trees should always be able to be taller to any house, which would definitively limit the height of the buildings.

Clean air, clean water, organic food, in a soundscape free of engine noise. An energy produced and consumed in a virtuous circle. Goods produced, consumed and disposed of in the same way.

We should put all our efforts, our time, our money to build that future. All the developments of the city should be done under this framework and aspirational future. A future where every individual can thrive, develop, and enjoy life in their own term in an environment where human and nature live in complete harmony, and become one. A place like a true Eden, where wellbeing reaches new heights. For us, and for our children.

- Benoit -