Suzuki's 75th birthday this month brought with it some reflection. With deep emotion for his children, his grandchildren and the miraculous ecological wonder we call planet Earth he said, "I want to be able to look into the eyes of my children and say I did the best I could." We should all strive for that.
I don't think any of us know the answer to how save our planet from all the pollution we are poring into it. Some people like to refer to all the pollution as climate change. I for one don't like labels. As soon as there is a label on something, someone comes in with charts, graphs and theories to dispel.
It is harder to dispel the cause and effect simplicity of dumping poisons into a lake. The fish will probably die or get cancer, plant life will die and the lakes ecosystem in general will change drastically. I don't call that climate change, I call it common sense. Some are calling the lack of regard many have for our planet an intergenerational crime.
We act as if we have infinite time to find solutions. Our governments back corporations every day over human life, animal life and our one and only Earth. They talk about space stations, moving to a new planet and economies. Canada was once respected by the United Nations. Now, I am ashamed of their view of our rich country.
Canadians don't vote anymore, not in the numbers they used to. Many seem to be okay to just go along with the government in some sort of zombie like state. It is sad and pathetic.
Chernobyl, Ukraine is a toxic waste site. This April will be the 25th anniversary of the disaster, yet it still remains uncontained, little alone in some state of reclamation. Experts estimate that it will take 25,000 years for that contaminated land to be clean again. Fukushima, Japan is predicted to be a worse. "Nuclear reactors are the most dangerous machines mankind has ever built," said Dr. Helen Caldicott of the Academy Award winning film "If you love the planet." Yet, we are still building them.
I am grateful to be a British Columbian. Princeton has waged many battles against corporations to keep our town safe. B.C. has done the same. What happened in Pickering, Ontario? Why did the people there turn a blind eye?
I am not David Suzuki and to be honest I don't know how he keeps going without losing it once in a while. I get very angry thinking about the lack of care we treat that which gives us life. I hope that when the end comes for me, I can say to my children that I did the best I could. My question to those who aren't is when and why did you stop caring?