Finding Solutions — Spring 2012 (PDF) - David Suzuki Foundation

finding
SOLUTIONS
spring 2012
www.davidsuzuki.org
Photo: Emma Foster, Center for Whale Research, www.whaleresearch.com
A victory for killer whales is a victory for all
The threatened and endangered killer whales of Canada’s West
Coast need food and a safe place to live. It’s obvious. That’s why
in February, the Federal Court of Appeal upheld a court decision
that the government must meet the requirements of the Species at
Risk Act and provide legal protection for the fundamental needs of
killer whales.
That means ensuring that coastal waters are protected from
pollution, that tankers and military vessels make less harmful
noise, and that killer whales have chinook salmon to eat. The
David Suzuki Foundation was one of the clients represented by
Ecojustice that took the government to court and provided expertise
on the whales and ways to help them recover.
For years, the federal government has resisted meeting the
requirements of Canada’s Species at Risk Act, spending time and
money fighting in court instead of protecting the environment.
This court victory means that Fisheries and Oceans Canada
will now have to meet its obligations to limit marine noise and
pollution in places important to killer whales. It will also be
required to reduce fishing in some areas to make sure the whales
have enough chinook salmon. This case also sets an important
precedent for other endangered species whose critical habitat
and food sources need protection.
But this case is about more than the health of endangered species.
We all rely on clean air, water, and soil to survive and thrive.
We are one species among many within a complex web of life.
When we break that web by endangering or destroying any of the
diverse species that compose it, we risk disrupting the systems we
all depend upon for our basic needs.
The most important function of a government, and the laws that
define it, is to protect the basic needs of its citizens. Our most basic
needs, and those of killer whales, depend on a healthy environment.
That’s why taking care of endangered species is really the
same thing as taking care of ourselves.
Jeffery Young
Camp Suzuki
in the Rouge
What’s in your
Stand up for
Recycle your
3 5 5 6
cleaning closet?
snappers
electronics

donor profile
Online donor finds inspiration
in natural world
Online donor Pamela Wright
I want to be part of the
solution, and it’s never too
late to learn and change
one’s ways. My journey
is just beginning.
Pamela Wright is an online donor from
Whitchurch-Stoufville, Ontario. She and
her husband Andy live in the environmentally
sensitive Oak Ridges Moraine,
where they raised their four children.
Now retired from her picture-framing
business, she concentrates on her own art,
using pastels, watercolours, and oils to
capture the disappearing farmlands that
surround her. She also enjoys hiking in
the local forests, camping, and educating
herself about the environment.
What made you decide to donate
to the Foundation online?
I had been donating to two worthwhile
groups: Doctors Without Borders and
Greenpeace. Having read online about the
good work the Foundation is doing in Canada,
it was a simple choice to begin donating
to it as well. As a proud Canadian, I
feel that when we concentrate on what is
happening in Canada and try to change
things for the better here, our actions will
be recognized and impact other countries
worldwide. You could say the first step to
change starts at home.
What, in your opinion, is
the greatest environmental
concern facing Canadians?
The greatest environmental concern facing
Canadians today, in my opinion, is our
political leaders’ lack of understanding
and will to change our way of life. Canada
has such an opportunity to step up and
lead the world on so many fronts, not the
least of which is the environment.
Tell us a bit about your journey to
learn more about the environment.
For years I have been recycling and
reusing, but now I want to do more. So
I use the Internet, books at the library,
newspaper and magazine articles, and
science programs (including those of the
David Suzuki Foundation) to learn how
to live green and become more environmentally
active. Recently, I signed up for
the Queen of Green’s e-newsletter, which
I find very informative. Doing this gives
me peace of mind; I want to be part of
the solution, and it’s never too late to
learn and change one’s ways. My journey
is just beginning.
What is your favourite way
to connect with nature?
There are so many: watching the first
green leaves appear in spring, hearing
the return of the birds, seeing the
white fluffy clouds scudding across the
sky, taking the first walk in the woods
in spring, listening to the night sounds
while I lie awake in the tent, feeling the
beauty that nature gives back to you,
and sharing all this and more with my
husband and family.
Leave a legacy for the children of tomorrow
Build the David Suzuki Foundation into your estate planning. Consider a gift in
your will, or another type of legacy gift, to help ensure a healthy environment for
generations to come. Or, if you’ve already done so, let us know so we can thank you!
Please contact Deborah Eaton-Kent at
604.732.4228 • 1.800.453.1533 • deatonkent@davidsuzuki.org
2

Meet our Camp
Suzuki teams
Jode Roberts
Our Camp Suzuki in the Rouge program celebrates the Rouge River
watershed—a wilderness gem in the heart of the Greater Toronto
Area where we are working to establish Canada’s first urban
national park. To get local communities engaged in the creation
of the park, we are inspiring them to create projects that connect
residents with this natural treasure.
The Foundation has recruited and trained 11 incredible teams to
design and launch unique Rouge-related activities. Here are just
five of the teams and their plans.
CultureLink
CultureLink Settlement
Services is a non-profit
agency that facilitates
the independence and
full participation of
newcomers in Toronto’s
diverse community. The
team will be hosting
a spring tree-planting
event, nature walk, and a campout at Glen Rouge Campground.
The tree-planting will bring together 17 new Canadian youth from
11 different countries with 17 aboriginal youth and 17 seniors to
share stories about their cultures, history, and future.
Rouge Valley
Naturalists
Rouge Valley Naturalists
is a not-for-profit
organization dedicated
to protecting, preserving,
and restoring the
natural heritage of the
Rouge Valley. Team RVN
is keen to work on two
projects: an in-class butterfly-rearing program and an outdoor
education program customized for people with disabilities.
Rouge
Park
Hikers
The Hikers
lead two-hour
nature walks
for thousands
of residents
in the area
each year.
They will reach out to local residents, especially
new Canadians, inviting them out for monthly hikes
and a special Portrait in the Park day where families
can have their photos taken with the Rouge as a
backdrop. The Hikers intend to help these families
learn about local flora and fauna and develop an
appreciation for how nature can enrich their lives.
Dunbarton
High School
The Dunbarton High
School team includes
students from the
school’s environmental
club. Their goal is to
celebrate Rouge Park’s
forests, beaches, and
wetlands by holding a
hiking event in the spring and a fun yoga event in the summer.
They hope to reach students within their school and at local
elementary schools, and they will be partnering with nearby
yoga studios to get youth stretching in the park.
Theatre and
Performance Studies
University of Toronto-
Scarborough Campus
With a group of eight
undergraduate students in the
Theatre and Performance Studies
program at UTSC, the team will
develop an original piece of theatre
about Rouge Park. More than a
“straight-up” educational primer on environmentalism, it will connect the
audience with the park in a creative and inventive way.
All photos by Sherry Prenevost
3

iefs
Connecting with Nature
A new environmental educational
guide for children in grades four to six
is now available on our website. It’s
full of fun, hands-on activities to help
children explore their profound connection
to nature, and it encourages
students to get outside to let their
curiosity about nature run wild. Go to
www.davidsuzuki.org/youthandnature
to download your free copy.
Reducing the impacts
of bottom trawling
The Foundation, along with the Living Oceans Society, has
collaborated with the B.C. groundfish bottom trawl industry
to create a suite of measures that reduce the impacts of this
fishery on seafloor habitats, particularly the fragile coral and
sponges that support ocean life. These new management
measures include defined boundaries for the fishery, individual
limits on coral and sponge bycatch, and a reporting and
review protocol.
Trip shows nature’s resilience
Conservation works. On a
recent visit to the Galápagos
Islands, David Suzuki
and Tara Cullis—along
with a team of Foundation
supporters—witnessed
the recovery of the iconic
giant tortoise and an
Photo: L. Stuart
ocean teeming with life.
G Adventures had donated 14 trips, which our donors purchased.
Proceeds went to the Foundation, and a fascinating
time was had by all.
Celebrating the season at
the Winter Summit
The 2012 Winter Summit was a huge success. Presented
by Desjardins Group and held in Quebec City from January
27 to 29, it celebrated winter while teaching people about
climate change. Five hundred people attended a conference
with astronaut Julie Payette and explorer Bernard Voyer. Our
rollicking Gala had even Bonhomme Carnaval dancing. And
hockey games with NHL alumni were the perfect way to cap a
fun-filled weekend.
The Suzuki Elders speak their minds on issues like the
Alberta tar sands.
Introducing the
Suzuki Elders
Get to know the newest contributors
to Finding Solutions
Who are we?
We’ve got values, vision, a purpose statement, and a strategic
plan. We do environmental education for other elders,
write a blog on our website, go to rallies and marches, send
letters to the editor and government representatives, and post
on Facebook. We go to lectures, attend seminars, and invite
speakers to our meetings. We debate and analyze environmental
issues. We encourage other elders to act and invite them to
join us. We walk and talk environment from an elder perspective
with friends, colleagues, family, and community.
We are Suzuki Elders.
Working with and through the David Suzuki Foundation, we
are a 58-member group of self-identified elders, governed by a
14-member Council of Elders. We use our voices, experiences,
and memories to mentor, motivate, and support other elders
and younger generations in dialogue and action on environmental
issues. Over the past two years we’ve held two major
Elder and Environment Forums, hosted many smaller gatherings,
prepared an Eldercollege lecture series for Capilano
University in North Vancouver, and presented at an international
conference on Growing Old in a Changing Climate.
At our Annual General Meeting in March, we started
developing a Suzuki Elder perspective to guide us as we
facilitate elder dialogue about environmental sustainability
and respond to the challenges, responsibilities, and opportunities
facing us all. When it comes to children, grandchildren,
and other youngsters in our lives, we wear our
environmental hearts on our sleeves.
Oh, and we also have fun!
Want to get in on the action? We welcome your interest,
experience, energy, and support. Check out our website,
http://sites.google.com/site/elders.dsf/, for news, useful links,
background information, and a membership application. Or
contact us at elders@davidsuzuki.org.
Diana Ellis
4

Standing up
for snappers
Photo: Jeremiah John McBride
After surviving 40 million years on Earth, Canada’s largest terrestrial
reptile is in serious danger. Every day, this lumbering
creature contends with toxic chemicals in its wetland habitat and
cars whizzing by on the highway, not to mention hunters with a
penchant for turtle soup.
That’s right. Even though snappers are listed under Canada’s federal
endangered species law, anyone in Ontario with a valid fishing
or hunting licence can catch up to two per day.
That’s why the David Suzuki Foundation has raised its voice
on behalf of snapping turtles, demanding an end to the hunt in
Ontario. A recent report entitled The Road to Extinction: a call to
end the snapping turtle hunt, which we produced in partnership
with Ontario Nature and the Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre,
attracted widespread media attention across the country. Thousands
of Canadians responded by sending letters to the Ontario
government, insisting it protect the turtles from hunting.
Snappers already face enormous natural challenges; although
they can live up to 100 years, it takes them 15 to 20 to reach full
maturity. As a result, adult mortality greatly affects the survival of
the entire species.
You can help ensure their survival by sending a letter to the
Ontario government. Visit http://action.davidsuzuki.org/snappers.
Jode Roberts
Are there skeletons in your cleaning closet?
Stop right there. Put that microwave
cleaner down before someone gets
hurt.
Now, take a lemon and cut it in
half. Put it in a bowl of water and
microwave it for 30 seconds. Then
rub the inside of the microwave with
the lemon and wipe the gunk away.
It only takes two minutes, and
it works just as well as any storebought
product. Plus, it won’t trigger
allergies or cause cancer.
That’s right—cancer.
Photo: go_greener_oz
Many household cleaners contain
hazardous chemicals—you’ve
probably seen the skull and crossbones sign on some containers.
To make matters worse, in Canada, manufacturers are not
required to disclose all the ingredients in their products, not even
chemicals associated with chronic health problems like cancer,
allergies, asthma, and reproductive issues.
That’s why we want to find out about the nasty toxics lurking
in your cleaning cupboard. We’re asking our supporters to
take the What’s Inside? That Counts Cleaning Survey, and tell us
what they’re using to scrub down their homes. This information
will help us advocate for more transparent labelling on cleaning
products. You can complete the survey at www.davidsuzuki.org/
cleaners-survey until May 31.
Fortunately, you don’t need those unnecessary toxins to have
a clean and healthy home. According to Lindsay Coulter, David
Suzuki’s Queen of Green, “There are simpler, cheaper ways to
clean that will leave your home sparkling.”
When you visit us online to take the survey, check the Queen of
Green’s safe and healthy cleaning product recipes. And while you’re
there, sign up for the Spring Breakup challenge. You’ll receive cleaning
tips and tricks and a chance to win fabulous prizes.
Mel Lefebvre
5

eal life
Each Canadian province has a HHW collection program to
help you dispose of these chemicals with minimal environmental
impact. Search your city website for drop-off depots and collection
dates.
Before heading to the depot
• Keep materials in their original containers or ensure that
containers are well-labelled
How to dispose of household
hazardous waste
Household hazardous waste (HHW) can cause illness or death to
people, plants, and animals. It can contaminate our bodies, homes,
and the environment.
HHW includes hair colouring, car wax, nail polish remover,
rechargeable batteries, and shoe polish. Most household cleaners
are also HHW, including abrasive and all-purpose cleaners,
aerosol air fresheners, bleach, disinfectants, drain cleaners, fabric
softeners, and glass and toilet cleaners.
If you have these chemicals in your home, you’ll want to dispose
of them correctly. This will ensure waste workers are not at risk of
inhaling toxic substances and reduce the chance of fires or explosions.
Never pour or flush HHW down the drain. Not only will this
contaminate our waterways and oceans, it can corrode plumbing
and cause septic system failure.
• Do not mix different products together
• Tightly cap all containers
You can identify HHW by these hazard symbols
Toxic: can cause illness
Corrosive: can eat through materials or living tissue
Flammable: can catch fire or burn easily
Reactive/explosive: can cause rapid heating
or explosions
Lindsay Coulter
David Suzuki’s Queen of Green
funding solutions
Turn e-waste into donation dollars
Clean out your desk drawers and closets! Keep old, obsolete,
or unwanted electronics out of landfills and fundraise for the
Foundation by sending them to Think Recycle.
It’s easy. Collect at least 10 acceptable electronics (e.g., cellphones,
print cartridges, digital cameras, laptops, and iPods). Then register
at www.thinkrecycle.com (say you’re raising funds for the David
Suzuki Foundation) and follow their directions for getting your
discards to their plant.
Reusable electronics will be refurbished. Those that can’t be
brought back to life will be carefully dismantled and separated,
and metals, glass, and plastic turned into raw materials for future
production of new goods.
Organize an e-waste drive at your office or school. Think Recycle
even plants a tree for every 24 qualifying products donated!
Gail Mainster
Kimberly Hoover of Think Recycle with David Suzuki
Secondary School students Jasmine Kaur, Zoya Chahal,
Mannal Maqbol, Nikki Sandhu, and Nikeshia Hamilton.
6

finding SOLUTIONS
A publication of the David Suzuki
Foundation, a registered Canadian
charity working to protect the diversity
of nature and our quality of life, now
and for the future.
2211 West 4th Ave., Suite 219
Vancouver, B.C., Canada, V6K 4S2
toll free 1-800-453-1533
davidsuzuki.org
Editor Rachelle Delaney
Contributors
Leanne Clare, Lindsay Coulter, Manon
Dubois Croteau, Jodi Garwood, Ian
Hanington, Mel Lefebvre, Gail Mainster,
Jode Roberts, David Suzuki, Jeffery Young
Design and Production Sarah Krzyzek
Board of Directors
Stephen Bronfman, Dr. Tara Cullis
(President and Co-Founder), Sarika
Cullis-Suzuki, Severn Cullis-Suzuki,
Pauline D’Amboise (Secretary), James
Hoggan (Chair), David Miller, Stephanie
Green, Dr. Samantha Nutt, Miles
Richardson, George Stroumboulopoulos,
Dr. Peter Victor, Elaine Wong (Treasurer)
Co-Founder
Dr. David Suzuki
Chief Executive Officer
Peter Robinson
Development Director
Andrea Seale
Public Affairs and Communications
Director
James Boothroyd
Director of Finance and Technology
Vic Johnston
Program Directors
Morag Carter, Karel Mayrand,
Dr. Faisal Moola, Jay Ritchlin
Human Resources Director
Catherine Gordon
Charitable number
Canada: BN 127756716RR0001
US: 94-3204049
Printed on 100% postconsumer
recycled paper,
processed chlorine free.
Yukon: a wilder place
Photos by Fritz Mueller and text by Teresa Earle,
Greystone Books
recommended
Images of the Yukon can make even the most stubborn
urbanite long for wild spaces and solitude, and those in
Mueller and Earle’s gorgeous new coffeetable book are no
exception. An exploration of the iconic territory “where
personal space is measured across entire valleys,” its striking
images and evocative text lets us lose ourselves in vast
herds of caribou, icy rivers, and the aurora borealis.
On the Line
Written and directed by Frank Wolf
Breathtaking footage reveals the ancient forests, fish-filled rivers,
and pristine coast at risk if the Enbridge Northern Gateway
mega-project goes ahead. Filmmaker Frank Wolf and friend
Todd McGowan bike, hike, raft, and kayak the proposed pipeline
route, gathering impressions from people whose livelihoods the
enterprise will affect. At the continent’s edge, they show the
treacherous waters that supertankers will have to navigate to
ship Alberta tar sands bitumen to Asian and other markets..
Pink Ribbons, Inc
Directed by Léa Pool
The new documentary Pink Ribbons Inc. is appearing
in theatres this spring. In it, Montreal director Léa Pool
examines the explosion of the “pink ribbon” brand. A critical
examination of companies that promote themselves as
champions in the fight against breast cancer yet refuse
to remove cancer-causing substances from their products,
the movie will leave you feeling just as angry about
pink-washing as you may be about green-washing.
The Environmental Rights Revolution: a global study of
constitutions, human rights, and the environment.
David R. Boyd/UBC Press
Do you have the right to a healthy environment? Not if you live in
Canada. In this groundbreaking book, one of the country’s most
distinguished environmental lawyers analyzes constitutions
worldwide, proving that recognition of this right is rapidly increasing
(92 nations now recognize it). Boyd shows a correlation between
constitutional recognition and smaller ecological footprints,
stronger environmental protection, and better quality of life. The
final chapter is a call to action: get ready for a rights-based campaign
to gather “the collective will necessary to preserve the planet.”
7

Dr. David Suzuki
last word
An open letter from David Suzuki
Dear friends,
Some of you may have seen media coverage
about my decision to step off the board
of directors of the David Suzuki Foundation.
I am writing to tell you more about
this and what it means.
After my children and grandchildren,
my greatest pride is the David Suzuki
Foundation.
I am fiercely proud of how the Foundation
brings science and solutions to
environment problems. I’m determined to
ensure that the Foundation continues to
have the ability to solve critical environmental
issues and bring hope for the future.
But I have reached a point in my life
where I would like to consider myself an
elder. I want to speak freely without fear
that my words will be deemed too political,
and harm the organization of which I
am so proud. I am keenly aware that some
governments, industries and special interest
groups are working hard to silence us.
They use threats to the Foundation’s charitable
status in attempts to mute its powerful
voice on issues that matter deeply to
you and many other Canadians.
This bullying demonstrates how important
it is to speak out.
The Foundation’s science-based, solutions-oriented
research and educational
work has enriched our democracy and
reflected Canadian values for two decades.
While not always happily received by governments
or industrial interests, this work
is strictly non-partisan, as required by the
laws governing charities, and has made
the Foundation one of the most trusted
environmental voices in Canada.
Our opponents, however, are redoubling
their efforts to marginalize the Foundation
by getting at me, personally.
So last year, I made the decision to step
off the board of directors of the David
Suzuki Foundation. I remain one of its
most active volunteers and committed
major donors. This way I can fulfill my
personal mission and the Foundation can
continue to build on its inspiring work—
for us and our grandchildren—in finding
solutions to our shared, and very real,
environmental challenges.
I hope you understand this decision
and will continue to show your, steadfast
support.
This is a critical moment, and I’m deeply
grateful to you for standing with the David
Suzuki Foundation.
Sincerely,
David Suzuki
We’re just getting started
Dear friends,
David Suzuki has worked tirelessly for the
last two decades, as a volunteer, helping
make the Foundation the most trusted
environmental voice in Canada. Extraordinary
people — pre-eminent scientists,
community activists, and thousands of volunteers
and donors like you — have joined
him along the way.
After he announced that he was stepping
off the Board of Directors, we received incredible
encouragement from many of you. Thank
you for expressing your support through messages
and donations. You told us that respect
for the natural world is a truly Canadian
value. You asked us to be brave, strong, and
work harder than ever before.
Let me tell you: we’re just getting started.
Today there is a dire need for a sciencebased
and solutions-oriented response to
mounting environmental problems. You
can count on us to continue to find effective
solutions to environmental challenges, with
courage and conviction. We are guided by
David’s vision, and he will continue to be one
of our most active volunteers.
I would like to express my sincere thanks
to you for being part of the David Suzuki
Foundation. I welcome your feedback on our
work anytime. We absolutely could not do our
work without you.
Now let’s make David Suzuki proud!
Peter Robinson
Chief Executive Officer