And NO he is not joining Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie on their hit ‘reality’ tv show!
He is however retiring from the environmental limelight - recent news (via Reuters) that definitely bummed me out!
David Suzuki is certainly someone that we both consider to be an ‘Eco-Hero’, and someone we are proud to have as a fellow Canadian. I greatly enjoyed “The Nature of things” tv program growing up, and always admired his efforts to ‘make a difference’ in the world.
Whats interesting is the fact that (quoting directly from the article) “He regrets that after decades of campaigning for everything from cleaner air to sustainable farming, his work has not had more impact.”
I think we tend to be our own worst critic. I have little doubt that many many people have been inspired to do their part as a direct result of his efforts!
I found the last paragraph of the article very interesting, and it definitely relates to what I was talking about in the Edible Estates post.
But he expresses regret that most people still live out of step with nature.
“We are intelligent, so we create our own habitat and we don’t need nature except as entertainment or for the extraction of resources,” he said. “We still don’t get it, that the simple acts of eating a pizza reverberates around the world.”
One thing I do need to remind myself of is the fact that he IS 70! He certainly deserves a break!
So what exactly does he have planned for retirement? Apparently, he is “looking forward to spending more time in the Canadian wilderness, carving wood and fishing.”
Sounds good to me!
If he remains true to his word, and is able to resist the urge to return to the eco-limelight, one thing is for sure - he WILL be missed!
Here is the article from Reuters in case you are interested: Environmentalist Suzuki to quit spotlight for simple life
Also, to learn more about the work of David Suzuki be sure to check out: The David Suzuki Foundation
Technorati Tags: david suzuki, suzuki foundation, the nature of things, CBC, environmentalists
Written by Bentley on October 25th, 2006 with 1 comment.
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Just read a very interesting article at EcoWorld called “Biofuel Monocultures”
Its somewhat ‘doom and gloom’ BUT as I mentioned in a recent post (Home-Scale Renewables - A Flawed Idea?) it still important weigh the evidence on both sides of any environmental debate.
The argument asserting that the ‘biofuel revolution’ may do more harm than good definitely seems to be gaining some steam from what I can tell. I’ve now seen a number of articles on the topic just within the last month or so (including a lengthy feature in New Scientist).
The article I read today provides a fairly compelling (albeit brief) argument, referencing a number of other good articles on the subject as well.
Here is a blurb:
Most environmentalists as well make much of the “carrying capacity” of the planet. They point out, correctly, that there is a limit to how much the Earth’s biosphere can generate. Their concerns are manyfold - we will run out of forests, we will run out of farmland, we will run out of wilderness, we will run out of water - with all the attendant catastrophes that each of these depletions would cause.
So why are environmentalists so happy that we’ve just found a new way to deforest the planet and plant monocultures? Why are the Americans in particular suddenly embracing biofuel as though it is the solution to everything from global warming to energy shortages?
I find the entire debate as a whole extremely interesting, and I’m certainly starting to get a feel for what all the ‘hubbub’ is about.
That being said, I absolutely would NOT write-off biofuels completely! (not that anyone is necessarily saying that)
Sure, it may require large quantities of land and resources to produce biofuels via traditional crops, but what about cool ideas like making biofuel from algae (as I discussed in a recent post), a technology which apparently requires MUCH less space in general, and does not require valuable farm land or freshwater at all.
Bottomline - let’s keep the channels of communication open, and the ideas flowing! Its when progress takes on a ‘my way or the highway’ mentality that we really get ourselves into trouble, in my humble opinion.
If this topic interests you, be sure to check out the EcoWorld article: Biofuel Monocultures
Technorati Tags: monoculture, biofuel, biodiesel, biofuel revolution, ecoworld, biofuel economy, green fuel, ethanol, renewable energy
Written by Bentley on October 25th, 2006 with no comments.
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(Image courtesy of the Edible Estates website)
Came across a very interesting website last night called Edible Estates.
Here is a little blurb to give you some idea what they are all about:
Edible Estates is an attack on the American front lawn and everything it has come to represent.
Edible Estates reconciles issues of global food production and urbanized land use with the modest gesture of a domestic garden.
Edible Estates is an ongoing series of projects to replace the American front lawn with edible garden landscapes responsive to culture, climate, context and people.
Edible Estates is a practical food producing initiative, a place-responsive landscape design proposal, a scientific horticultural experiment, a conceptual land-art project, a defiant political statement, a community out-reach program and an act of radical gardening.
I love the bit about an “attack on the American front lawn, and everything it has come to represent!” - Priceless!! 
I also LOVE the overall idea behind this! I have thought about doing something similar with my current property, but may wait since we’re aiming to move in the next few years. (sadly, edible landscapes aren’t a huge selling point in the suburbs just yet!)
The Edible Estates project involves setting up demonstration gardens in 9 US cities over the next 3 years. An “adventurous family” in each city is encouraged to volunteer to have their lawns transformed into a masterpiece, similar to the one you see above (more on that location in a minute), but specifically designed for the particular climate etc of the region. This regional prototype garden then serves as an attraction and educational tool for other property owners in the area. Apparently there is even a little pamphlet box installed on the property so people can take literature and learn more!
The picture above is one of two (I think) demonstration gardens in Los Angeles. It is own by the Foti family - be sure to check out their blog: Foti Farm
For a VERY cool video all about setting up this location be sure to click >>HERE<<
These kinds of initiatives really hit home for me personally (and likely Steve as well)! Aside from being a passionate gardener and eco-conscious person myself, I strongly believe that there is SO much to be said for connecting people with nature -especially close to home. I think much of society tends to think of nature as being something outside of our city realm - something we all run off to visit on weekends during the summer when we are feeling adventurous, but not something to be welcomed onto our property (nor into our homes). Sure, lots of people enjoy dabbling in gardening and general landscaping, but usually only under highly controlled conditions. We love to be the master of our domains - nature is fine and dandy, so long as it knows who is boss!
Anyway, bottomline - we need to see more of this kind of initiative taking place in the cities! Imagine how much extra food could be produced if everyone had edible landscaping? Imagine how much more respect society as a whole would have for nature?
Technorati Tags: edible estates, gardenlab, foti farm, edible landscaping, vegetable gardening, green gardening, organic gardening
Written by Bentley on October 25th, 2006 with no comments.
Read more articles on Gardening and Interesting & Notable.
