In this expanded version of an inspiring speech delivered in December 2009, David Suzuki reflects on how we got where we are today and presents his vision for a better future. In his living memory, Suzuki has witnessed cataclysmic changes in society and our relationship with the planet: the doubling of the world's population, our increased ecological footprint, and massive technological growth.
Today we are in a state of crisis, and we must join together to respond to that crisis. If we do so, Suzuki envisions a future in which we understand that we are the Earth and live accordingly. All it takes is imagination and a determination to live within our, and the planet's, means. This book is the culmination of David Suzuki's amazing life and all of his knowledge, experience, and passion — it is his legacy.
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
September 11, 2010 -
Formats
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781553656456
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781553656456
- File size: 622 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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January 24, 2011
In 2009, Suzuki (Dodging the Toxic Bullet), an internationally recognized geneticist and environmentalist now in his 70's, gave a legacy lecture at the University of British Columbia where he had been a professor for 39 years. His is an optimistic vision of the future, even though we are despoiling our natural environment at a rapid pace as if as a species we were "immune to the laws of nature." Rachel Carson's 1962 book, Silent Spring, inspired environmentalists such as Suzuki to become active on a number of issues, but looking back he believes that environmentalists have not sufficiently addressed the root causes of our species' destructiveness: our failure to recognize our spiritual dependence upon nature that "gave us birth and is our home and source of well being" and to which we will return when we die. Suzuki sees the magnitude of the present crisis as a transformative opportunity to reject those who claim that protecting the environment is unrealistic, or fiscally irresponsible, and find ways to "and to create a future rich in the joy, happiness, and meaning that are our real wealth." A small book with a big, generous message.
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