Use ‘stewardship’ instead of ‘sustainability’

Environment Canterbury is clearly in desperate need of a new name. E Can is a misnomer. A much better name would be BET Can, standing for Business, Environment and Transport Canterbury.

Therein lies a bipolar conflict of interest.

Business and stewardship of the environment is like fire and water.

The Government appointees have no community mandate. Instead, their responsibility is to the New Zealand Government.

Those reappointed commissioners will be the ‘‘tight five’’ of the regional council. It will be hard for the seven newly elected councillors to budge them.

Environment Minister Nick Smith says his appointments are apparently ‘‘a bid to maintain continuity’’.

They are also to keep up the ‘‘momentum’’ of improving the management of freshwater in Canterbury.

However, we all know that under the commissioners’ watch since 2010 our freshwater has been further degraded.

The concern is the water will get even worse if the commissioners are allowed to ’’maintain continuity and momentum’’.

With the Government’s mantra of unbridled economic growth, what chance is there for safe swimming holes?

And how about swimmable rivers in and around Christchurch suitable for humans, let alone our fish?

The use of term ‘‘stewards’’ in the headline is refreshing (Oct 19).

It is time we ditched the worn-out and meaningless word ‘‘sustainability’’.

Let’s think seriously about the meaning and use of ‘‘stewardship’’ instead. Cam Odlin Bryndwr