Finding Solutions — Fall 2011 (PDF) - David Suzuki Foundation

finding
SOLUTIONS
fall 2011
www.davidsuzuki.org
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Considering options for carbon tax
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Introduced carbon tax
MANITOBA
Committed to cap-and-trade system
QUEBEC
Regulated fuel-efficiency standards
NEW BRUNSWICK
Shut down polluting plants
ONTARIO
Green Energy Act invests in green energy
graphic: Sarah Krzyzek
Provinces fight climate change despite federal inaction
Most Canadians are well aware of the federal government’s inaction
on climate change. It has failed to regulate emissions, has no
credible plan to reach even its very modest reduction targets, and
has cut funding for government departments and scientific agencies
working on the issue. Fortunately, some provincial governments
are taking matters into their own hands. The Foundation
is highlighting their progress (or lack thereof) in the 2011 Status
Report of Provincial Climate Change Plans.
The report, which will soon be available to all levels of government
and to the public, looks at and compares the provinces’
efforts in confronting what is arguably the most serious challenge
in human history. It encourages provinces to join a “race to the top”
to implement the best solutions for climate change, and to pressure
the federal government to get on board.
Although all provinces still need to strengthen their plans
to reduce emissions, several have taken positive steps. British
Columbia and Quebec have introduced economic incentives to
shift to cleaner choices through carbon taxes and have regulated
fuel-efficiency standards. The government of the Northwest Territories
is also considering options for introducing a carbon tax.
B.C. and Quebec, along with Manitoba and Ontario, have committed
to further pricing and reducing emissions through capand-trade
systems, as part of the Western Climate Initiative, a
collaborative effort among a number of U.S. states and Canadian
provinces to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Nova Scotia has capped its electricity emissions, responsible for
almost half of the province’s emissions. And Ontario, New Brunswick,
and Manitoba have shut down polluting power plants, with
more shutdowns promised.
Ontario passed the Green Energy Act in 2009 to spur investment
in cleaner renewable energy. This clean-energy law has already
sparked billions of dollars of investment in green energy and the
creation of thousands of well-paying jobs in the province.
The report shows that in the current political climate, provincial
actions are crucial in the fight against climate change. It will be
available on our website at www.davidsuzuki.org
Ian Hanington
Suzuki Elder
gives wisely
Eat for healthy
Suzuki Elder Forum
Green your holidays
2 3 5 6
oceans

donor profile
Suzuki Elder finds a new way to give
I retired, I would come back. I retired in
2006, and have since been working with
the Development department.
What has your time as a
Suzuki Elder taught you?
I’ve realized that there is so much to learn
from other people, and so much can be
accomplished when everyone shares their
thoughts on a subject, for things can be
done in so many different ways. The elders
have accumulated much experience over
the years, and we are working to make a
bridge between elders and young people,
so we can benefit and learn from each other.
Archana Datta (second from left)
with David Suzuki, Penny Wilson,
and Tara Cullis. Photo: Lenny Ford
“Now this is my way
of giving gifts. It’s an
elder’s way of giving.”
Archana Datta is a familiar face at the
Foundation’s Vancouver office. A longtime
volunteer and member of the Suzuki
Elders, Archana recently made a special
donation to the Foundation in lieu of an
anniversary gift to friends.
How did you originally get
involved with the Foundation?
I am from a Third World country where we
hardly used to waste anything. There were
no chemical fertilizers in India—it was all
organic. So when I first came to Canada,
the concept of pollution was not clear to
me. In 1982, I got in touch with the Suzuki
family, and I saw how hard [David Suzuki’s
father] Carr Suzuki was working to utilize
natural things, like seaweed as fertilizer. It
made me aware of how all humans contribute
to the Earth, good and bad.
When I first volunteered with the Foundation
in the ’90s, I told David that when
See page 5 for information about the
Suzuki Elders’ upcoming forum, which aims
to empower elders to make positive environmental
change.
You recently made a donation to
the Foundation in honour of your
friends’ 25th wedding anniversary.
What made you decide to do this?
I’ve been asking myself this lately—why
do we gift in terms of “things”? It’s a social
norm. But nowadays when a child is born,
instead of a normal “gift,” I give whatever
money I can to the child’s parents and
tell them to open an education account. I
wanted to do something similar for adult
gifts, so I asked my friend who was celebrating
her anniversary for suggestions.
She immediately replied, “You volunteer for
the David Suzuki Foundation—donate to
them in our name.”
It opened my eyes—now this is my way
of giving gifts. It’s an elder’s way of giving.
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 Katie Loftus at
604.732.4228 • 1.800.453.1533 • kloftus@davidsuzuki.org
2

Eat for healthy oceans
…with help of new SeaChoice
wallet card phone app
Choosing sustainable seafood just got easier, with the updated
SeaChoice Ocean-Friendly Seafood wallet card. The card’s new
layout allows seafood lovers to check their options while grocery
shopping and dining out. Seafood appears in three categories—
Best Choice, Some Concerns, and Avoid—depending on harvesting
method and location.
The card features updated rankings and new species as well
as an alternatives chart that helps you quickly find a Best Choice
substitute for one of the less desirable species. These changes have
been incorporated into the free SeaChoice Ocean-Friendly Seafood
iPhone app. The card and the app are available for download
at www.SeaChoice.org.
Safeway, too, says yes to
ocean-friendly seafood
This summer, Canada Safeway announced its commitment to
ocean-friendly seafood. By 2015, all fresh and frozen seafood sold
by the grocery chain will come from sustainable and traceable
sources, or be in a credible improvement project.
Safeway joins a growing list of SeaChoice business partners that
includes the Overwaitea Food Group, Federated Co-operatives
Ltd., Whole Foods, and Bento Nouveau. As a partner organization
of SeaChoice, the Foundation will help educate Canada Safeway
staff and consumers in over 200 stores about the environmental
issues associated with seafood. Congratulations to Canada Safeway
for making one big step toward healthy oceans!
Jodi Garwood
Ambassadors for oceanfriendly
seafood
A fleet of SeaChoice Ambassadors recently joined the Foundation to
help promote sustainable seafood. The ambassadors are part of a sixmonth
pilot campaign aimed at increasing awareness and purchasing
of ocean-friendly seafood in B.C.’s Lower Mainland. They include media
professionals, “foodies,” chefs, restauranteurs, fishers, and event organizers,
and they are writing, cooking, and speaking for change.
Armed with the new SeaChoice wallet cards and training from our
Marine team, the ambassadors are working in their communities
to inform people about where our seafood comes from, how it is harvested,
and how we can all choose wisely when we shop and dine out.
Learn more about the ambassadors at www.davidsuzuki.org/eatfor-healthy-oceans.
If you’re interested in becoming an ocean-friendly
seafood ambassador, contact Sophika Kostyniuk at skostyniuk@
davidsuzuki.org.
illustrations: sarah Krzyzek
3

iefs
Environment minister acts on
Foundation’s advice
Recently, we learned that Maxim Power Corp. was rushing to
build a coal-fired plant in Alberta that would emit far more
greenhouse gas than impending federal rules would allow. We
asked our supporters to write to Federal Environment Minister
Peter Kent and demand that Maxim stop the rush job. A few
weeks later, Kent announced that he’d heard Canadians loud and
clear, and he would not tolerate companies rushing to complete
dirty power projects.
Montreal office has a new green home
The Montreal branch of the
Foundation recently moved
into a new office building
that is quickly becoming
the heart of the city’s environmental
movement. La
maison du développement
durable (Centre for Sustainable Development) boasts geothermal
heating, a living plant wall, and an underground cistern that
diverts rainwater to the building’s low-flow toilets. Like-minded
neighbours in the building include Équiterre and Amnistie Internationale
Canada Francophone.
Megaquarry campaign
prompts assessment
Led by Foundation scientist John Werring, we recently joined
over 130,000 Canadians in opposing a proposed limestone
megaquarry near Melancthon, Ontario, which would leave a
hole in the ground twice the size of Niagara Falls. Thanks to
pressure from local residents, politicians, First Nations, and
nonprofit organizations, the Ontario government decided that
this project should, at very least, be subject to a formal provincial
environmental assessment. As the project transcends
provincial boundaries, we are encouraging the federal government
to get involved in the process.
Feds reject funding for Pacific
North Coast planning
In our last issue of Finding Solutions,
we profiled an ocean management
and marine protected areas planning
process for Canada’s Pacific North
Coast. We and many participants
were deeply disappointed to learn
in September that the federal government
pulled out of the funding
photo: Lloyd K. Barners
arrangement aimed at bringing scientific
advice and community input to the process. Learn more
and take action at: www.davidsuzuki.org/marine-planning.
Former Foundation board member Ray Anderson
photo: interfacefloreu
Honouring two visionaries
Like many environmental advocates, we at the Foundation
were saddened by the passing of two great leaders in the past
few months.
Jack Layton, who passed away in late August, needs little
introduction. The leader of the NDP for eight years, Layton
worked tirelessly toward his vision of an equal, just, and
healthy nation. He was also very concerned with environmental
issues. To quote David Suzuki: “Jack never forgot that
justice and human rights were deeply embedded in issues
of the environment. Today, too many of us act as if these are
somehow separate, and so we are either environmentalists or
workers for social justice. To Jack, they were a part of the same
struggle for sustainable societies.”
Also in August, we lost Ray Anderson, former Foundation
board member and the chair and founder of Interface, Inc.
After coming to the life-changing realization that his business
practices were harming the Earth, Anderson established a new
mission for his company: achieving sustainability—operating
in a way that does nothing to harm the Earth—by 2020. “Mission
Zero,” as he called it, was a lofty goal for any company, let
alone a flooring company reliant on the petroleum industry,
but two years ago, he announced in an interview that Interface
was already halfway there.
Anderson’s ideas and drive influenced countless people,
environmentalists, and businesspeople. He gave over a thousand
speeches, wrote two books, and inspired many businesses
to follow his lead, including GE and Walmart.
Despite the traditional priorities of business and politics,
Anderson and Layton never lost sight of what was fundamentally
important—the health and well-being of humans and
the environment. Both were ambitious, compassionate, and
inspiring, and both succumbed to brave battles with cancer.
They will be very much missed.
Are you a teacher or youth educator?
Sign up to learn about our youth-related activities and how we’re
working with young Canadians to solve environmental challenges.
www.davidsuzuki.org/young-canadians
4

Google Earth helps put
dollar value on nature
Google Earth mapping software will allow users to highlight a region on the map and learn about the natural capital benefits within it.
Imagine being able to find your backyard or neighbourhood park
on a digital map and instantly learn how much the natural features
inside it are worth. Thanks to a new partnership between the Foundation
and Google Earth Outreach, you’ll soon be able to do just that.
Google’s Earth Outreach program gives nonprofit organizations
the resources they need to create visuals that strengthen their causes.
In the past few years they’ve helped organizations make positive
change in many ways, from mapping genocide in Darfur to bringing
Google Street View to the Amazon rainforest.
The Foundation will use Google Earth mapping tools to illustrate
a concept that is at once crucial to protecting nature in Canada and
difficult to envision. The idea of “natural capital” involves looking
at nature’s benefits and services in monetary terms. It’s an effective
way of reminding ourselves that fields, forests, and wetlands provide
important services, like cleaning our air, filtering water, and providing
food to sustain us. Putting a dollar value on local ecosystems can
help decision-makers and the public better understand the importance
of protecting nature.
After years of research into the valuation of ecosystem services, the
Foundation has a wealth of natural capital data that, with the help
of these new mapping tools, will be made accessible to the public,
enabling them to discover the value of their own local environments.
The application will allow users to highlight a region on a map and
learn about the types of nature within it, as well as the natural capital
benefits and values (see image above). It will also allow users to add
or remove natural items and human-made infrastructure, and discover,
for example, how the natural capital valuation changes when
they remove a wetland and replace it with a parking lot or a LEEDcertified
building.
This new application will not only strengthen our arguments for
protecting nature in Canada, but will allow our supporters to make
strong cases for their own initiatives as well. Currently in development,
the application will initially focus on Southern Ontario. We
hope to expand it to include other parts of Canada.
Suzuki Elders Forum promises inspiration and empowerment
On November 24, the Association of Suzuki Elders will host
an exciting Elders and Environment Forum to encourage and
empower others to address critical environmental concerns.
A dedicated group of Foundation volunteers, the Elders use their
knowledge and experience to mentor younger generations and
other elders on environmental issues. After hosting a similar forum
in 2009, they continued to hear the question “What can I do?” from
elders concerned about the state of the Earth.
In response, they made this year’s theme their answer to that
question: “Start where you are.”
Keynote speaker Terry O’Reilly, host of the hit CBC radio show
The Age of Persuasion, will kick off the forum with the talk “Start
with your message,” sharing his insights about communication
strategies to engage families, friends, and communities in worthwhile
discussions of climate change.
Smaller discussion groups will follow, including “Start with what
we eat,” facilitated by Herb Barbolet, cofounder of Farm Folk/City
Folk, and “Start with where we live,”
led by Amanda Pitre-Hayes of the City
of Vancouver’s Sustainability Group.
Lindsay Coulter, David Suzuki’s Queen
of Green, will lead the discussion
“Start with a story,” and activist Jackie
Larkin will guide a deep ecology discussion
called “Start with our selves.”
David Suzuki will give the closing
presentation: “Start where we are—
standing on elder ground.”
Elders who cannot travel to Vancouver
for the forum will be able to
watch selected clips and talks online. See the Suzuki Elders’ website,
https://sites.google.com/site/eldersdsf, for more information
and to register.
Rachelle Delaney
CBC’s Terry O’Reilly will be the
keynote speaker at the Elders
and Environment Forum.
5

funding solutions
Foundation Development Officer Kathrin Majic
(left) and volunteer Brianne Kelly show off their race
T-shirts before the Toronto half-marathon.
Supporters run, walk,
and paddle to raise
awareness and dollars
People who love to be active in the great outdoors know
they can’t do it without clean air to breathe and unpolluted
water to stay hydrated. So they’re pairing fun times with
fundraising to protect nature.
This was the first year participants could make the David
Suzuki Foundation their charity of choice in the Scotiabank
Toronto Waterfront Marathon, one of the most competitive
races in North America. Fifty people signed up to raise
money for the Foundation in the full and half marathons
and 5K events, and raised over $12,000!
Upcoming race opportunities to join the Foundation team
include the Good Life Fitness Toronto Marathon on Sunday
May 6, the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon in Halifax, May
18-20, and the Scotiabank Half-Marathon & 5k in Vancouver
June 24. All have options for a variety of fitness levels.
Meanwhile, Bob Purdy of Kelowna has pledged to do his
favourite outdoor activity, stand-up paddling, every day in
2011 to benefit the Foundation—sun, rain, or snow. Check out
Bob’s “answer to nature’s call” at www.paddlefortheplanet.ca.
Whether it’s a large, organized event or something solo,
dedicating your personal activity to support the Foundation
is a great way to get moving outside, achieve a personal goal,
and support the Earth that supports us all. Contact Kathrin
Majic at kmajic@davidsuzuki.org or 416-348-9885 for more
information.
Gail Mainster
Tips for greening your holidays
Make cranberry sauce
Bisphenol-A (BPA), a hormone-disrupting chemical, is found in
the epoxy resin that lines many canned goods. Recently, BPA
was found to migrate out of canned foods like baby formula,
beans, soup, and cranberry sauce. Reduce your exposure to
BPA—switch to fresh, frozen, or dried goods and make your
own cranberry sauce from fresh or frozen berries!
Give the gift of time
Shopping is becoming a national pastime. This holiday season,
check your list twice. Do you own your stuff or does your stuff
own you? According to Statistics Canada, 900,000 tonnes of
garbage are produced between Thanksgiving and Christmas
each year. Consume less; spend quality time with family and
friends instead. If you’re going to buy, buy less and buy local.
Skip the unsustainable shrimp ring at the holiday table this year.
photo: JP Daigle
Take a pass on ye olde shrimp ring!
Cross that hosting standby, the shrimp ring appetizer, off your
holiday menu. Farmed shrimp are one the most consumed
aquaculture products per capita in Canada. Unfortunately,
farmed shrimp has a large environmental impact. Choose better
options, like tasty Dungeness crab cakes, with the help of
Canada’s Seafood Guide at www.SeaChoice.org.
Lindsay Coulter,
David Suzuki’s Queen of Green
6

ecommended
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
tel 604-732-4228
toll free 1-800-453-1533
fax 604-732-0752
davidsuzuki.org
Editor Rachelle Delaney
Contributors
Leanne Clare, Lindsay Coulter,
Jodi Garwood, Panos Grames, Ian
Hanington, Sarah Krzyzek, Gail
Mainster, David Suzuki
Design and Production
Johannes Schut
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, 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
Marie-Claire Seebohm
Printed on 100% postconsumer
recycled paper,
processed chlorine free.
Beneath Cold Seas: the underwater
wilderness of the Pacific Northwest
David Hall, Greystone Books/David Suzuki Foundation
When we picture marine life in the Pacific Northwest, we often
envision shades of grey and green, and maybe the odd purple sea
star. But in his new book, Beneath Cold Seas, photographer David
Hall literally illuminates the incredible diversity of life in coastal
B.C. waters, showing us brilliant urchins, colourful crabs, and
jellyfish whose bioluminescence creates an “underwater kaleidoscope
of stars” (to quote the introduction by biologist Sarika
Cullis-Suzuki). A gorgeous book for marine life lovers everywhere.
Farmstead Chef
John Ivanko & Lisa Kivirist, New Society Publishers
Farmstead Chef is more than a cookbook—it’s a manifesto
for a return to farmstead living, in the country or the city. It
contains a wide range of recipes for earthy foods, focusing
on simple, seasonal ingredients usually found in backyard
or rooftop gardens. The recipes are organized by dish, with
short essays and informative sidebars throughout. Each section
includes a profile of a member of the food movement.
The result is an educational guide to eating for the Earth.
Not Your Typical Book About the Environment
Elin Kelsey, Owl Kids
In a world full of gloom and doom, author and renowned
educator Elin Kelsey offers young readers something different:
a book about the environment that’s fun, informative, and
full of hope. Not Your Typical Book About the Environment
explores concepts like energy, clothing, water, and waste, but
focuses on innovative solutions and cool stats. This awardwinning
book succeeds in getting kids excited about the
time they’re living in and their ability to save the world.
Antarctic Mission
Film directed by Caroline Underwood and Jean Lemire;
narrated by David Suzuki
Join the crew of the Sedna IV sailing the Antarctic islands
to discover the effects of climate change on the continent
and the entire planet. The film explores the work of scientists
in the region and their quest to discover how climate
change is altering the habitat and habits of many Antarctic
animals. Beautiful cinematography and intimate shots of
king penguins, elephant seals, and wandering albatross are a
powerful reminder of why we need to stop climate change.
7

Dr. David Suzuki
last word
Being our best to honour the best
I was saddened to hear of the death of Wangari
Maathai in September. Dr. Maathai
was a Kenyan political and environmental
activist who founded the Green Belt Movement,
an organization focused on treeplanting,
conservation, and women’s rights.
For her work, she was awarded both the
Right Livelihood Award and a Nobel Peace
Prize. She was also elected to the Kenyan
parliament and served as Assistant Minister
for Environment and Natural Resources.
She died of cancer at age 71.
When I met her in Montreal in 2009, she
struck me as a warm, friendly, and intelligent
woman with a great sense of humour.
Her idea for the greenbelt movement was
simple, but not without its challenges.
She wanted to organize women to plant
trees as a way to protect resources such as
water, wood, and food. This simple idea
became an extraordinary political movement
because it empowered women who
had been deprived of their basic rights and
of ownership of their resources. For her
efforts, Dr. Maathai was arrested, beaten,
and jailed. But she never backed down.
She proved that human rights and protection
of our environment go hand in hand.
She also proved that social change can
come from peacefully confronting power.
It’s been a sad couple of years all around
for our movement. As well as Dr. Maathai,
we’ve lost U.S. climate change expert
Stephen Schneider, German renewable
energy proponent Hermann Scheer, sustainable
business leader and Foundation
board member Ray Anderson, federal
NDP leader Jack Layton, and anti-nuclear
Dr. Wangari Maathai
photo: Ricardo Medina
activist Dave Martin. These people were
great eco-warriors who sacrificed much
to help us find better ways of living in this
world, and I encourage everyone to learn
more about them. I find it excruciating to
have lost them. But I am heartened by the
thought that no movement is just about
its leaders; it’s about everyone who cares
enough to become informed and to commit
to the hard work these people have led and
inspired.
The best way for all of us to honour those
who have left us is to carry on in their spirit.
Peace & Sustainability on Earth
This holiday season, donate to the David Suzuki Foundation in
honour of your loved ones, and we’ll send them personalized
cards from you. Just tell us what you want the cards to say and
we’ll pop them in the mail.
Call us toll free at 1-800-453-1533.