Save Downtown Menlo, and Menlo Park City Council Members:
I am not a resident of Menlo Park, but I thought I would share some ideas with you -that you might find helpful and maybe expand on.
The first thing is: There is a major difference, (180 degrees), between, "HOUSING" and "HOME". One is material, will rot, decay, fall apart and end up in the landfill and hazardous waste. The other is spiritual. gentleness, kindness, humility, meekness, strength, power, honesty, purity, uprightness, love, life. These qualities will never die, pollute the earth, or end up in the landfill.
From a human stand point, the problem is not - Not enough housing, but too many people. The world is exploding from OVERPOPULATION. People need to be made more aware of what the responsibilities are, as parents, and the consequences, ripple effect it has on the present family, the community and the world. Eight Billion people, (and growing), is a lot to expect our planet to care and provide for. Our local state and federal governments dont seem to want to address this subject. (through education). Address the SOURCE of the problem instead of the symptoms.
Another thing is to concentrate on TEMPORARY housing. As population decreased people can move into present permanent housing. In the meantime, people can live in vacant office space, and property like SRI and the USGS in Menlo Park Those buildings could be reorganized into "homes."
There are many disadvantages to camming people into small spaces - apartments, both mentally and physically.
Where do all of these people go if a disaster strikes, wild fires, hurricanes, tornados, protests, floods, famine, drought, power outages, etc?
What is the major contributor to the above challenges?
How do emergency crews get in to help those people in need in an efficient and effective manner?
Building more apartments, for more people to live in, makes services far more difficult to install and repair: Sewer, water quality, internet, phone, electricity, gas, garbage / land fill, roads, and whatever other serves we each have.
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Where is our food going to come from? How much more fuel will it take, to get the food to the consumer?
In the past our local and state governments have spoken about the need and desire for SUSTAINABILITY. Their actions do not support that idea. Cramming people together, one on top of another, encourages depression discouragement, fear, frustration, discomfort, even illness. People need to feel a sense of independence and the ability to be creative.
What if the power goes out? How are the fresh cool breezes going to enter the individual rooms of the apartment complexes? Air conditioners add more heat and noise to the environment.
Windows should be placed where the most amount of light and heat can enter a home -especially on the shortest day of the year, instead of depending on electric lights and a heating system to keep the house warm. This also means people must keep their trees well trimmed and opened up, so they do not shade their neighbors. Keep shade in ones own yard.
People should be able to grow some of their own food, and dry their clothes via the sun, instead of an electric or gas clothes dryer.
Water can be preheated by the sun.
Not addressing the foundational problem of the so-called "housing crisis" - OVER POPULATION, is only adding to global warming. People are becoming more and more dependent on others and less on themselves. We are not supporting or demonstrating SUSTAINABILITY.
The present new apartment buildings may all have solar panels to provide power to the individual apartments, but what if a component fails? How many solar panels does it take to power a 20-unit apartment building, let alone, a 300-unit apartment building? How much energy does it take to make these solar panels - and back up batteries? How much of these items will end up in the landfill and hazardous waste, at the end of their usefulness and even in the creation of these products?
I feel a need to get away from depending on high tec devises to make our lives easier, (sometimes) and more on getting down to basics. An active solar system is a good idea, but it should be second to a PASSIVE solar system. A PASSIVE system takes more thought, space and effort, but it is a more environmentally friendly, less expensive, and less complicated to repair, way of life.
I think we need a more spiritual concept of Life. Are we viewing ourselves, and each other as the sons and daughters of Gypsies, or as the sons and daughters of the King? It does not matter what problem an individual - or government - is facing, it will never be met, dissolved, eliminated forever, until it is addressed through divine metaphysics. Andrew Brewis has a CD entitled "HOME" which has some wonderful ideas to consider. Below is the first song. This can be listened to - along with other works of his on the internet.
I hope I have shared some ideas, thoughts that might help Menlo Park NOT build housing in the down town parking lots.
Jackie Leonard-Dimmick
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HOME
Andrew D. Brewis (music)
Rosemary Cobham
Chorus
Home is the consciousness of good
That holds us in its wide embrace;
The steady light that comforts us
In every path our footsteps trace.
Our Father’s house has many rooms,
And each with peace and love imbued;
No child can ever stray beyond
The compass of infinitude.
Home is the Father’s sweet "Well done,"
God’s daily gift of grace.
We go to meet our brother’s need,
And find our home in every place
