“When we try to pickout anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” – John … Continue reading
“No dogma taught by the present civilization seems to form so insuperable an obstacle in a way of a right … Continue reading
“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less … Continue reading
“If only we can overcome cruelty, to human and animal, with love and compassion we shall stand at the threshold … Continue reading
How sustainable is our development?
Sustainable development is a popular concept based on the assumption that we know enough to “manage” our natural resources in a way that will enable them to flourish indefinitely. With so many people in the world and a steeply rising demand for consumer products, it?s certainly an enticing idea. But do we really know enough to manage natural resources sustainably?
We’re stuck in our teenage years – Science Matters
Written by David Suzuki.
This month I reach my 67th birthday. Yikes. I was wondering where the first three months of 2003 went, but I should be asking what happened to my life! I vividly remember those turbulent months after I reached puberty and lost about half of my IQ. As an individual, I’ve grown wiser since then, but as a species we seem stuck in our teenage years.
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Real leadership needed to help reduce energy bills
With natural gas prices skyrocketing this winter, people aren’t just shuddering from the cold – they’re quaking at the thought of coming energy bills. Indeed, Albertans are already demanding that Premier Klein open the coffers again and hand out rebates to help consumers through the tough times.
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Consumer culture no accident
Most people I talk to today understand that humanity is inflicting harsh damage on the planet’s life support systems of clean air, water, soil and biodiversity. But they feel so insignificant among 6.2 billion people that whatever they do to lighten our impact on nature seems trivial. I am often asked “What can I do?” Well, how about examining our consumption habits. Not long ago, frugality was a virtue but today two thirds of our economy is built on consumption. This didn’t happen by accident.
Demise of Asian antelope should be a warning to us
Have you ever heard of a saiga? Probably not, and if things continue the way they are going, you may not ever see one either. At least, not in the wild.
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Smaller households can leave bigger footprints
Human population has an obvious impact on the health of our environment. Generally, more people consume more resources and leave less habitat for other creatures. But the relationship isn’t simply more people = greater impact. The way we live is also an important factor, so even though our population growth is slowing, our environmental impact continues to rise.
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War is not the answer
Democracy is most challenged when faced with a crisis. When times are good, it’s easy to guarantee all kinds of rights and freedoms, but it’s only when times are tough that those guarantees matter. As a third generation Japanese-Canadian who spent three years denied all rights of citizenship and incarcerated in camps with my Canadian-born parents, I feel a special responsibility to remind Canadians of the fragility of democratic ideals.
Taking advantage of Kyoto
Round about this time of the year, every year, the federal government hunkers down to prepare the release of its annual budget. And round about this time of year, every year, interest groups across the country fire out “wish lists” on how they would like our government to collect and spend taxpayers’ money.