A Student Wants You To Protect Our Greenbelt

A Student Wants You To Protect Our Greenbelt

Dear Premier Ford,

My name is Abby I., and I am a grade 9 student. I heard about your plan to build highway 413 through the Greenbelt. Although this would provide more routes for transportation, It would benefit our Earth if the environment was kept in mind during this project.

Every year, humans release 37.12 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Luckily, in Ontario, we have protected farmland and forests to take in this CO2 and give us oxygen to breath. If the super highway is built, a lot of this valuable nature will be destroyed, leaving more carbon dioxide in the air. Along with this, there will be additional greenhouse gases that will be emitted from the machines used to build and the new vehicles on the road. We are also taking away habitats for many creatures like birds, and fish.

Keep in mind, according to The Greenbelt Foundation, the Greenbelt generates $9.1 billion annually in economic activity through recreation, agriculture and tourism, and creates 161,000 local full time jobs that support rural economic activity.

In the end, I and many others in my community believe that the last thing we need is more damage to our environment, especially in such a thriving and protected area like the Greenbelt. Please rethink your idea to build this highway in order to represent Ontario as a province that doesn’t contribute to global warming and greenhouse gas emissions.

Thank you ! - Abby