A Lightning Rod in a Land of Tremendous Energy
David Suzuki-February 17, 2012-keynote speech in Calgary:
Rather than wading into the obvious polarized debate over current issues surrounding Alberta's oil industry, Suzuki dealt the Calgary City Teachers Convention a basic lesson in the cycling of earths materials in an apparent gut-check to a city with one of the countries highest disposable incomes.
Beginning with a guilty plea to the timely view where the environmentalism movement has failed Suzuki admitted how he was so liberated in the past, battling against issues such as habitat destruction; however, a group in society was always often demonized. It is with that fact, environmentalism lost traction due to the fact there was losers. "We cannot afford to have losers" the famed geneticist proclaimed, opting to roll out some ecology 101.
Suzuki spoke of the journey of a water molecule over time. "We take water in, only to leak it out, through our eyes, ears, nose, crotch" concluding that "we are the earth". A clear call for a reflection on the tendency for citizens to slip into the anthropocentric view of the world rather than asserting a biocentric value of nature. He detailed the sojourn of an air [argon] speck travelling from one pair of lungs to another, over many years, continuing to fill the lungs of any species on the planet.
His concern soon aimed at a culture of consumption: "What the heck is a starter home?" referring to being informed he should 'buy up' in regards to house ownership. With this attitude, combined with treating the world's markets with human-like qualities, he than used his own example of his own house of 35 years that: "on the market, the things that really matter aren't worth a damn". Such as powerful family memories, friendships and natural treasures. This basic argument, the issue of conscious consumption, was his overarching point the earth-hero advocated for and is a current agent of change.
Responding to a question afterwards regarding what is a key thing teachers can do: Suzuki simply stated to his audience of professional role models for the youth of Calgary:
"Get them outside."
Paul Kelba
Rather than wading into the obvious polarized debate over current issues surrounding Alberta's oil industry, Suzuki dealt the Calgary City Teachers Convention a basic lesson in the cycling of earths materials in an apparent gut-check to a city with one of the countries highest disposable incomes.
Beginning with a guilty plea to the timely view where the environmentalism movement has failed Suzuki admitted how he was so liberated in the past, battling against issues such as habitat destruction; however, a group in society was always often demonized. It is with that fact, environmentalism lost traction due to the fact there was losers. "We cannot afford to have losers" the famed geneticist proclaimed, opting to roll out some ecology 101.
Suzuki spoke of the journey of a water molecule over time. "We take water in, only to leak it out, through our eyes, ears, nose, crotch" concluding that "we are the earth". A clear call for a reflection on the tendency for citizens to slip into the anthropocentric view of the world rather than asserting a biocentric value of nature. He detailed the sojourn of an air [argon] speck travelling from one pair of lungs to another, over many years, continuing to fill the lungs of any species on the planet.
His concern soon aimed at a culture of consumption: "What the heck is a starter home?" referring to being informed he should 'buy up' in regards to house ownership. With this attitude, combined with treating the world's markets with human-like qualities, he than used his own example of his own house of 35 years that: "on the market, the things that really matter aren't worth a damn". Such as powerful family memories, friendships and natural treasures. This basic argument, the issue of conscious consumption, was his overarching point the earth-hero advocated for and is a current agent of change.
Responding to a question afterwards regarding what is a key thing teachers can do: Suzuki simply stated to his audience of professional role models for the youth of Calgary:
"Get them outside."
Paul Kelba
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