Category: work
11/06/10 01:57 - ID#53069
RPCI cuts down trees for no real reason
The trees brought character to the building and filtered light through their beautiful foliage. When they turned, they were awe-inspiring and soothing to the senses. More importantly, they were part of the natural air-quality control near the periphery of the campus where employees, who are probably blind to the ill-effects of smoking, continue to smoke like chimneys and blow out puffs of smoke all through the day. As far as I know, these four trees were causing no structural damage to the building. I would be interested in hearing why exactly they needed to be chopped down and uprooted for no reason other than to satisfy some dull and unimaginative aesthetic.
The "tree of life" - a sad-looking evergreen at the centre of the Kaminski gardens in the campus was structurally damaged during the October snow storm a couple years back. A million emails were sent out to the employees and everyone else to assure people that the pruning of that tree was only made in the good faith that it would grow again. However, there has been no word of explanation, or even acknowledgement that cutting down four healthy trees is a sizable and real concern.
It is not enough that our recycling program is so patchy, that the employees misuse paper as if it grows out of thin air and that we "are proud to partner with" coke. Now, we go and cut down trees that have slowly grown over 40-50 years. All of this, compounded, makes me think that we are a cancer fighting institution only in name. Through our actions, we are indirectly destroying the very environment that contributes to our state of health. Our non-existing conservation strategy and poor decisions subtly have a detrimental effect on the health of our neighbouring communities.
Deforestation can NEVER be justified by some perverted notion of aesthetics or urban planning. I am sorry, but whoever argues that landscaping justifies cutting down full grown trees is an environmentally oblivious selfish human.
PS: The official suggestion box comments have been ignored since June. I'd be glad to hear what logic they could possibly have for cutting down the trees.
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Last Modified: 11/07/10 08:59
Category: work
11/03/08 07:07 - ID#46485
Question for the web experts here
((e:paul), this is the same project I talked to you about, ages back. Its finally being hosted at the NCI.)
Ideally, I want a forum-like interface online with email functionality. The forum should have the ability to accept emailed posts from researchers (who are disinclined to login and post online) and display these emails in appropriate subject threads - somewhat like Google Groups + Gmail. The forum should also have sections with restricted memberships for say, certain working groups.
The question is, am I making a reasonable request and is this kind of thing do-able on a website? Would I need to provide any extra information?
Permalink: Question_for_the_web_experts_here.html
Words: 159
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It's not like they peeled down some hideous green wallpaper from the 70s. They probably took the word "renovation" in such a literal and crude sense that they got rid of the timeless trees.
I'm a big fan of trees. Trees are especially wonderful in an urban setting. I think cityscapes without trees tend to be ugly. I don't know why RPCI did what it did. Maybe you are correct and someone there decided to spend tens of thousands of dollars to protect those who wear "atrocious" shoes on campus. But I tend to discount that possibility. Of course, if the administrator who oked the tree massacre is someone who crosses that area in "atrocious" shoes, all bets are off.
I suspect that this is part of some "master" plan to renovate the RPCI public spaces; however, unnecessary that might seem to some.
Somehow that doesn't sit well as a justification for cutting trees, though.
(e:Paul) - that building used to be a pediatric cancer ward. Not one office is without a window. (excluding the basement which was the laundry services back in the day)
I don't work for the company so I don't know I'm guessing mostly #1 and also that way they can do what ever they want with the walk way and not worry about the trees getting in their way.....