Big events create a big carbon footprint

Posted

There was a time when Port Townsend drew tourists on its own merits. A mixture of charm, natural beauty and funkiness attracted people from all over.

Today, we feel compelled to create mega-events to draw people here. Port Townsend itself is not enough. Rather, we spend tens of thousands of dollars to create an event that we hope will generate hundreds of thousands of dollars.

THING got rave reviews. It was a good event for what it was. But it was not a Port Townsend event. It did not celebrate our community. It was not aligned with the original FWPDA charter. In short, it was about money. And ultimately, it will push us down a path in which there is no turning back. If we can justify THING today, we will be able to justify anything tomorrow.

Since I live right near F and Cherry, my neighborhood got the bulk of the traffic issues. The “shuttles” were actually giant tour buses. Diesel smell, traffic noise and motorist confusion dominated the F and Cherry Street intersection for two days straight. The carbon footprint of this artificial tourist construct must have been astronomical.

I can only scratch my head and wonder how is it that my values can be so vastly different from the rest of Port Townsend residents.

But there are a few of us who are grossly offended at the prostitution of Port Townsend. There are a small number of us who simply can’t believe how so many other residents don’t seem to consider the carbon impact of continuing to promote these kinds of tourist events. And, there are a few of us who are totally blown away by the inability of our municipal and county leadership to lift even a little finger to address carbon emissions. However, we are, apparently, very few.

David Thielk
Port Townsend