{"id":1777,"date":"2023-02-16T13:51:25","date_gmt":"2023-02-16T18:51:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/?post_type=chapter&p=1777"},"modified":"2023-03-29T19:52:36","modified_gmt":"2023-03-29T23:52:36","slug":"frontlines-9","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/chapter\/frontlines-9\/","title":{"raw":"Frontlines","rendered":"Frontlines"},"content":{"raw":"It was almost disorientating. As Carmen drove into the town, she kept looking back over her shoulder, double-checking every road sign, triple checking every building she passed. Carmen had never seen so many solar panels.<\/span>\r\n\r\nIt was August and almost ten years since she\u2019d last stepped foot in Cedar Grove. It\u2019s easy to lose track of time, to feel a nostalgia to belong somewhere without the desire to return. She\u2019d spent a long time with her nose in the books, grateful just to graduate with a degree.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCamren rolled down the passenger window, letting her dog Eco stick out his nose. The hot air enveloped her and she cranked up the air conditioning. That\u2019s always one thing that doesn\u2019t change.<\/span>\r\n\r\nShe stopped on the corner of main. It was eerily quiet. The soft hum of the car\u2019s fan was the only sound she could hear.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThis is astounding<\/em>, she thought. Like I stepped into a dream.\u00a0<\/em><\/span>\r\n\r\nEven the trees around her seemed different. They were an unusual shade of green, emitting a strange and unfamiliar glow. It was a colour Carmen had never seen before, nothing like the usual green that she knew trees to be. They seemed different, happier somehow. Like this whole time the trees had been keeping a secret.<\/span>\r\n\r\nShe rubbed her eyes. Maybe I just need a coffee<\/em> she thought, glancing across the street.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen parked on the street and stepped out to grab a coffee at the Clay Pigeon. How could it not be the first stop on her trip?<\/span>\r\n\r\nShe stepped in and the place was empty. She was disappointed, but not surprised, to see a new face working at the counter.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cHi,\u201d Carmen said. \u201cIs it alright if he comes in just for a moment?\u201d She asked, motioning towards Eco.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cYes, of course! What\u2019s his name?\u201d The barista asked, eyes brightening.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cThank you. This is Eco. It\u2019s too hot to leave him outside today.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cOh I know. We\u2019ve adjusted our policy for that very reason. It\u2019s okay if he stays a few minutes, I don\u2019t mind.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cDoes Pat still work here?\u201d Carmen asked, peeking into the bakery case, suddenly craving his old sugar donuts.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cYes. Well, he still owns the place and he stops in every once and a while but last I heard he was getting ready to retire. I only work a few days a week and I don\u2019t see him too often so I don\u2019t really know for sure. Do you know him? I don\u2019t know if we\u2019ve met.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen smiled, nostalgia washing over her.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cYes, I know him. I grew up here. I\u2019m Carmen Ashby.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cOh, your name sounds kind of familiar. I\u2019m Yuna. What brings you back?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cWell.\u201d Carmen felt an anchor stop in her throat. \u201cThings were starting to heat up a bit back home in the city, no pun intended.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cOh you\u2019re from the city. I heard about that, I\u2019m so sorry. What can I get for you?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe cafe was empty. Carmen ordered an iced coffee and a donut and sat by the empty fireplace to quickly check her phone. No new messages. The emptiness of the town was starting to feel strange to her. Where would everyone be on a Sunday?<\/span>\r\n\r\nShe glanced over at Yuna who was busy wiping the windows. She seemed completely unconcerned. Maybe there was an event nearby?<\/em> Carmen wondered. But her mom hadn\u2019t mentioned anything and she knew she was coming.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cThanks Yuna!\u201d She called out, heading back to her car.<\/span>\r\n\r\nAs she drove further up main street, she passed by her high school, pleased to see the cedar trees she planted still standing strong. Even the fountain in the town centre was working again.<\/span>\r\n\r\nWhile she was nearing her home, her mind was somewhere else. Without thinking, she turned her car around and headed towards the highway. She just wanted to make one quick stop before getting home. And besides, it was only a five minute drive so it wouldn\u2019t take up too much of her time.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen drove up the familiar dirt road, hastily rolling up the windows as the dust began to move into the car. She rounded the corner, greeted by the old familiar spruces and birch trees. Carmen thought of the last time she made this trip with her mom and the orange glow of the forest.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTurning around the corner Carmen slammed on her breaks, barely missing a parked car.<\/span>\r\n\r\nWait, is that a car?\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/span>\r\n\r\nThere wasn't just one, there were four of them lined up. They looked like an electric version of a stag beetle, with elongated, angular features, and shiny exoskeletons that reflected the light of the sun. The wheels were big and looked spherical and seemed to barely touch the earth; nothing like the rubber tires she was used to filling with air every two weeks in her beaten up Volkswagen.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen parked the car and put Eco on his leash. She decided to walk the next few metres, weaving between the electric stags as Eco bounded behind her happily.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThis must be where everyone is today.\u00a0<\/em><\/span>\r\n\r\nWalking further, she rounded the corner and gasped. There was no pipeline, as she had anticipated. Instead, she found herself staring at a tall white building, illuminated by a strange glow. She watched as people bustled in and out, pulling loads of fresh greens on long white trailers. The greenhouse was at least two stories high and stretched far down the empty field. A familiar face stepped out with a trailer in tow.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cFinn!\u201d Carmen yelled, running up to greet him.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cCarmen! I haven\u2019t seen you in years! You didn\u2019t tell me you were visiting.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nDropping the handle of the trailer, he reached out and gave Carmen a hug.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cI know, I didn\u2019t have much time, I had to leave the city pretty quickly. I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard all about it on the news. I wasn\u2019t able to complete my dissertation defence, which I have been preparing for for months.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cAhh, not quite a doctor yet, hey,\u201d he teased, leaning down to rub Eco\u2019s scruffy head.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s postponed for now but there\u2019s no way I\u2019m letting those last twelve years of my life go down the drain. Anyway, enough about that, what exactly is all this?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cDoesn\u2019t a small town like Cedar Grove ever make the news in the big city? Come in, I\u2019ll give you the grand tour.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nThey stepped through the doors and Carmen was speechless. The greenhouse was stacked with vertical rows, extending thirty feet high.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cVertical farming,\u201d said Finn. \u201cRemember Bernard farms? They sold their land to a farmer much to the irritation of the bank and this is what happened: intensive vertical green housing and a research farm. It\u2019s really cool. What did you think of the Agri pods outside? They are totally solar powered and can pick up 1200 pounds and carry material for up to 120 kilometres. They have interchangeable bus pods, one to carry the kids to school and another to transport produce or stores. Warren isn\u2019t around anymore, but the whole thing is run by his grandkid Dakota. I don\u2019t think you ever met Dakota, they\u2019re a few years younger than us. Great person. But anyway, it\u2019s August so it\u2019s peak harvest season and most of the community is here to help with the harvest. The whole thing is non-profit. Most of the energy is solar and wind. You help with the crop, you get a cut. Simple. Of course, Dakota got a few extra grants from the government to help with the construction and to score the Agri pods prototypes. But we get fresh veggies year round. It\u2019s a revolution in sustainability.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nBefore Finn could continue, George came around the corner and bumped into the two of them.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cCarmen? Is that you?\u201d He said. Wow I didn\u2019t know you were back in town. \u201cI hope I\u2019m not interrupting.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cNo, no!\u201d Finn replied. \u201cI better get back to it. I\u2019ll catch up with you later Carmen!\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cI\u2019ll call you! Let\u2019s get dinner or something.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen looked at George, who was smiling widely.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cCarmen. I can\u2019t believe it\u2019s you. How long has it been?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cWell. It\u2019s been a few years, to say the least. How are you?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cOh I\u2019m still kicking, how about you? Do you have some time to catch up for a bit?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cOf course,\u201d Carmen replied.<\/span>\r\n\r\nThey decided to take a walk down by the lake and get away from the hustle and bustle of everything. Carmen told George about the heat dome disaster that cut out half the city\u2019s electricity and caused hundreds of job losses. The city basically had to shut down for three weeks. It was unprecedented, nothing like they have ever seen before. She had been preparing for her exams while Jay, her partner, was trying to keep working. They had both grown tired of the city even before the heat knocked everything down.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cI can\u2019t believe how well Cedar Grove has been doing.\u201d Carmen said as they walked. \u201cAnd even the trees\u2026 Everything is so beautiful here. I just don\u2019t know what we\u2019re going to do next. I don\u2019t have a job anymore and I don\u2019t know if we\u2019ll ever get the chance to have a family \u2013 at least, not in the city. Everything seems so unstable and I don\u2019t know if I want to bring a kid into that world. But things feel different here. Safer, somehow.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nThey walked up to Lost Loon Lake and found an old log to sit on, overlooking the water. They reminisced about the protest and how the success of blocking the pipeline seemed to galvanize the community forwards, and how it all started with Carmen.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cYou know, the climate committee still meets every two weeks,\u201d George said. \u201cWe have three of the four council members on board, as well as the mayor.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nGeorge couldn\u2019t help but be inspired by seeing Carmen again.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cBut we need to get more active in provincial and federal politics,\u201d he went on. \u201cMaybe, Carmen, you could move back here and take up the great work that you started. There are a lot of people here who remember you and would rally behind you. There is a lot of work to do.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nThey sit in silence for a while, staring out at the lake.<\/span>","rendered":"

It was almost disorientating. As Carmen drove into the town, she kept looking back over her shoulder, double-checking every road sign, triple checking every building she passed. Carmen had never seen so many solar panels.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was August and almost ten years since she\u2019d last stepped foot in Cedar Grove. It\u2019s easy to lose track of time, to feel a nostalgia to belong somewhere without the desire to return. She\u2019d spent a long time with her nose in the books, grateful just to graduate with a degree.<\/span><\/p>\n

Camren rolled down the passenger window, letting her dog Eco stick out his nose. The hot air enveloped her and she cranked up the air conditioning. That\u2019s always one thing that doesn\u2019t change.<\/span><\/p>\n

She stopped on the corner of main. It was eerily quiet. The soft hum of the car\u2019s fan was the only sound she could hear.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is astounding<\/em>, she thought. Like I stepped into a dream.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Even the trees around her seemed different. They were an unusual shade of green, emitting a strange and unfamiliar glow. It was a colour Carmen had never seen before, nothing like the usual green that she knew trees to be. They seemed different, happier somehow. Like this whole time the trees had been keeping a secret.<\/span><\/p>\n

She rubbed her eyes. Maybe I just need a coffee<\/em> she thought, glancing across the street.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen parked on the street and stepped out to grab a coffee at the Clay Pigeon. How could it not be the first stop on her trip?<\/span><\/p>\n

She stepped in and the place was empty. She was disappointed, but not surprised, to see a new face working at the counter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHi,\u201d Carmen said. \u201cIs it alright if he comes in just for a moment?\u201d She asked, motioning towards Eco.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course! What\u2019s his name?\u201d The barista asked, eyes brightening.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThank you. This is Eco. It\u2019s too hot to leave him outside today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh I know. We\u2019ve adjusted our policy for that very reason. It\u2019s okay if he stays a few minutes, I don\u2019t mind.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoes Pat still work here?\u201d Carmen asked, peeking into the bakery case, suddenly craving his old sugar donuts.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes. Well, he still owns the place and he stops in every once and a while but last I heard he was getting ready to retire. I only work a few days a week and I don\u2019t see him too often so I don\u2019t really know for sure. Do you know him? I don\u2019t know if we\u2019ve met.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen smiled, nostalgia washing over her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I know him. I grew up here. I\u2019m Carmen Ashby.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, your name sounds kind of familiar. I\u2019m Yuna. What brings you back?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell.\u201d Carmen felt an anchor stop in her throat. \u201cThings were starting to heat up a bit back home in the city, no pun intended.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh you\u2019re from the city. I heard about that, I\u2019m so sorry. What can I get for you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The cafe was empty. Carmen ordered an iced coffee and a donut and sat by the empty fireplace to quickly check her phone. No new messages. The emptiness of the town was starting to feel strange to her. Where would everyone be on a Sunday?<\/span><\/p>\n

She glanced over at Yuna who was busy wiping the windows. She seemed completely unconcerned. Maybe there was an event nearby?<\/em> Carmen wondered. But her mom hadn\u2019t mentioned anything and she knew she was coming.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks Yuna!\u201d She called out, heading back to her car.<\/span><\/p>\n

As she drove further up main street, she passed by her high school, pleased to see the cedar trees she planted still standing strong. Even the fountain in the town centre was working again.<\/span><\/p>\n

While she was nearing her home, her mind was somewhere else. Without thinking, she turned her car around and headed towards the highway. She just wanted to make one quick stop before getting home. And besides, it was only a five minute drive so it wouldn\u2019t take up too much of her time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen drove up the familiar dirt road, hastily rolling up the windows as the dust began to move into the car. She rounded the corner, greeted by the old familiar spruces and birch trees. Carmen thought of the last time she made this trip with her mom and the orange glow of the forest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning around the corner Carmen slammed on her breaks, barely missing a parked car.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wait, is that a car?\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

There wasn’t just one, there were four of them lined up. They looked like an electric version of a stag beetle, with elongated, angular features, and shiny exoskeletons that reflected the light of the sun. The wheels were big and looked spherical and seemed to barely touch the earth; nothing like the rubber tires she was used to filling with air every two weeks in her beaten up Volkswagen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen parked the car and put Eco on his leash. She decided to walk the next few metres, weaving between the electric stags as Eco bounded behind her happily.<\/span><\/p>\n

This must be where everyone is today.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Walking further, she rounded the corner and gasped. There was no pipeline, as she had anticipated. Instead, she found herself staring at a tall white building, illuminated by a strange glow. She watched as people bustled in and out, pulling loads of fresh greens on long white trailers. The greenhouse was at least two stories high and stretched far down the empty field. A familiar face stepped out with a trailer in tow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFinn!\u201d Carmen yelled, running up to greet him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCarmen! I haven\u2019t seen you in years! You didn\u2019t tell me you were visiting.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dropping the handle of the trailer, he reached out and gave Carmen a hug.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know, I didn\u2019t have much time, I had to leave the city pretty quickly. I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard all about it on the news. I wasn\u2019t able to complete my dissertation defence, which I have been preparing for for months.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAhh, not quite a doctor yet, hey,\u201d he teased, leaning down to rub Eco\u2019s scruffy head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s postponed for now but there\u2019s no way I\u2019m letting those last twelve years of my life go down the drain. Anyway, enough about that, what exactly is all this?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoesn\u2019t a small town like Cedar Grove ever make the news in the big city? Come in, I\u2019ll give you the grand tour.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

They stepped through the doors and Carmen was speechless. The greenhouse was stacked with vertical rows, extending thirty feet high.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVertical farming,\u201d said Finn. \u201cRemember Bernard farms? They sold their land to a farmer much to the irritation of the bank and this is what happened: intensive vertical green housing and a research farm. It\u2019s really cool. What did you think of the Agri pods outside? They are totally solar powered and can pick up 1200 pounds and carry material for up to 120 kilometres. They have interchangeable bus pods, one to carry the kids to school and another to transport produce or stores. Warren isn\u2019t around anymore, but the whole thing is run by his grandkid Dakota. I don\u2019t think you ever met Dakota, they\u2019re a few years younger than us. Great person. But anyway, it\u2019s August so it\u2019s peak harvest season and most of the community is here to help with the harvest. The whole thing is non-profit. Most of the energy is solar and wind. You help with the crop, you get a cut. Simple. Of course, Dakota got a few extra grants from the government to help with the construction and to score the Agri pods prototypes. But we get fresh veggies year round. It\u2019s a revolution in sustainability.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Before Finn could continue, George came around the corner and bumped into the two of them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCarmen? Is that you?\u201d He said. Wow I didn\u2019t know you were back in town. \u201cI hope I\u2019m not interrupting.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no!\u201d Finn replied. \u201cI better get back to it. I\u2019ll catch up with you later Carmen!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll call you! Let\u2019s get dinner or something.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen looked at George, who was smiling widely.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCarmen. I can\u2019t believe it\u2019s you. How long has it been?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell. It\u2019s been a few years, to say the least. How are you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh I\u2019m still kicking, how about you? Do you have some time to catch up for a bit?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Carmen replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

They decided to take a walk down by the lake and get away from the hustle and bustle of everything. Carmen told George about the heat dome disaster that cut out half the city\u2019s electricity and caused hundreds of job losses. The city basically had to shut down for three weeks. It was unprecedented, nothing like they have ever seen before. She had been preparing for her exams while Jay, her partner, was trying to keep working. They had both grown tired of the city even before the heat knocked everything down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe how well Cedar Grove has been doing.\u201d Carmen said as they walked. \u201cAnd even the trees\u2026 Everything is so beautiful here. I just don\u2019t know what we\u2019re going to do next. I don\u2019t have a job anymore and I don\u2019t know if we\u2019ll ever get the chance to have a family \u2013 at least, not in the city. Everything seems so unstable and I don\u2019t know if I want to bring a kid into that world. But things feel different here. Safer, somehow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

They walked up to Lost Loon Lake and found an old log to sit on, overlooking the water. They reminisced about the protest and how the success of blocking the pipeline seemed to galvanize the community forwards, and how it all started with Carmen.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, the climate committee still meets every two weeks,\u201d George said. \u201cWe have three of the four council members on board, as well as the mayor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

George couldn\u2019t help but be inspired by seeing Carmen again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut we need to get more active in provincial and federal politics,\u201d he went on. \u201cMaybe, Carmen, you could move back here and take up the great work that you started. There are a lot of people here who remember you and would rally behind you. There is a lot of work to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

They sit in silence for a while, staring out at the lake.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1751,"menu_order":1,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-1777","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":1774,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1777","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1751"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1777\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2883,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1777\/revisions\/2883"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/1774"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1777\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=1777"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=1777"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=1777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}