David Suzuki at the Canadian Club of Toronto

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Had the chance to listen to a Canadian environmental icon the other week, Dr. David Suzuki. It was a relatively swanked up affair, at the Sheraton downtown, everyone in suits (except Suzuki). They did serve certified organic salmon, and local vegetables for lunch however, making the event somewhat less incongruous with the theme.

The speech was what some might consider typical environmentalist ‘doom and gloom’. Suzuki made reference to science’s environmental warnings, long unheeded by the popular media and politicians, as well as the dire consequences of inaction. Very little, if any, of this I had not heard before. Moreover, given the huge media surge of given to global warming courtesy of An Inconvenient Truth, most of the audience probably had similar knowledge. Certain criticisms were apt- such as the sorry state of today’s media, which has become largely a vehicle for commercial promotion. Also, fickle nature of political will, and the need for commitment to hard fought, if flawed, agreements such as Kyoto. Some criticisms I felt were a little off-side, such as of the internet, for giving us ‘too much’ information, allowing the most minority viewpoints an audience- this, I would argue is precisely what makes it an effective tool for democratic journalism. An interesting comment was made on the sustainability of cities; while it can be argued that urban populations are on a per-capita basis less environmentally damaging than rural populations, Suzuki’s point is that the socialization of city life tends to disassociate the natural environment from our activities. In this, I believe he is right, and that future urban models must consider the need for connection to natural environment within the urban context.

The primary impact of the speech, however, was the passion with which it was delivered. Becoming angry and emotional at times, David Suzuki embodies a love of the natural world that is often lost in today’s debates on environmental economics and sustainable development. As Suzuki says, “the Earth is our mother”, and the natural environment serves us not only through its utility, but culturally and psychologically. As the debate about ‘what to do about the environment’ becomes increasingly pragmatic, maybe we need a bit of passion injected- this stuff is important, and anyone who understands the significance should be worked up about it.

You can view the webcast of the speech here.