David Suzuki Foundation tag:www.davidsuzuki.org,2009-06-11://1 We work with government, business and individuals to conserve our environment by providing science-based education, advocacy and policy work, and acting as a catalyst for the social change that today's situation demands. Movable Type Pro 5.13-en Everything Under the Sun tag:www.davidsuzuki.org,2012:/publications//17.5267 2012-06-01T16:53:50Z 2012-05-03T16:57:20Z A renowned scientist restores hope for a better future with his latest views on environmental challenges. In this latest offering from David Suzuki, the well-known scientist, author, and broadcaster explores the interconnectedness of the world's myriad environmental challenges. The solutions are there, he argues; we just need the will to... Photo: Everything Under the Sun
]]> A renowned scientist restores hope for a better future with his latest views on environmental challenges.

In this latest offering from David Suzuki, the well-known scientist, author, and broadcaster explores the interconnectedness of the world's myriad environmental challenges. The solutions are there, he argues; we just need the will to act together to bring about change.

Suzuki delves into such provocative topics as the difference between human hunters and other predators, our dependence on the sun, and what we must learn from Japan's recent reactor meltdown. He also doesn't avoid controversial opinion, especially when it comes to taking on those who stand in the way of resolving serious issues like climate change.

Everything under the Sun includes telling facts and stats, the latest scientific findings, and examples of the positive actions people are taking today toward protecting what we have. Underpinning it all is the recognition that Earth gives us everything we require to live, under a sun that provides the energy to produce food, transport, and all of our modern conveniences.

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 Green Café: "Trees vs. Jobs" tag:www.davidsuzuki.org,2011://1.4225 2012-05-17T00:30:00Z 2012-05-07T23:16:03Z The topic of the next Green Café is Trees vs. Jobs: The debate on sustainability is always framed this way, but is this the right comparison? Are we setting up... The topic of the next Green Café is Trees vs. Jobs: The debate on sustainability is always framed this way, but is this the right comparison? Are we setting up the wrong debate? Could it be that saving trees could create more jobs than cutting trees down? How do we build a sustainable - environmentally and financially - economy?

Panelists for the evening include:

Paul Shorthouse – Director, Special Projects, Globe Foundation
Darlene Gering – Former President & CEO, Burnaby Board of Trade
Esther Speck – Director, Sustainability & Community, Mountain Equipment Co-Op

Join us for the next Green Café in Vancouver for a stimulating panel discussion followed by interactive dialogue on this topic. Admission is $15 at the door. Sorry we can only accept cash. Space is limited so registration is required. Some light snacks are provided. Register online.

What are Green Cafés?

The Green Café is a forum that brings together local green business leaders to interact, to be inspired, and to vision what a greener future looks like based on sustainable ecologically belief structures. Each Café focuses on a particular theme (eg. waste reduction, transportation issues, sustainable growth) and explores a new dialogic format. At the Green Café we do things a bit differently. To get the dialogue going, Cafés begin with an expert panel responding to some tough questions. Then attendees break into small group roundtables to discuss the session topic and generate solutions before moving to another roundtable to repeat the process. The outcome is an inspiring, energy-rich evening that will leave you with new contacts and new ideas to bring about a sustainable future!

*If the admission fee is prohibitive please contact us.

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 Join us for the 30x30 Challenge tag:www.davidsuzuki.org,2012:/what-you-can-do//19.5285 2012-05-16T18:40:32Z 2012-05-16T19:30:12Z Do you want to be happier, smarter and healthier? We do. That is why we at the David Suzuki Foundation are challenging you to join us in spending at least... Photo: Join us for the 30x30 Challenge

High Park, Toronto
(Credit: Neilio via Flickr)

]]> Do you want to be happier, smarter and healthier? We do. That is why we at the David Suzuki Foundation are challenging you to join us in spending at least 30 minutes a day in nature for the next 30 days.

What's in it for you? Well, we have awesome prizes for people that sign up, get out into nature each day, and share their stories and photos.

Besides, nature is the best medicine. A growing body of evidence has shown us that getting out into nature can reduce stress and boost your immunity. And experts say that exercising in natural settings is exercise squared - increasing your energy level and fitness.

Take the Challenge

While taking time to get out into nature in our busy daily lives is definitely a challenge, it may be simpler than you think.

Green space is as close as your neighbourhood park or backyard garden. Trails, ravines, and community gardens are often not too far from your daily routine. And the birds and the bees (and other critters) are always nearby; you just have to take time to listen.

So we invite you to join us in the David Suzuki Foundation's 30×30 Challenge by committing to spend time in nature for 30 days, starting on June 1st.

Start by signing up here. During the next 30 days get out into nature. Complete our closing survey at the end of the month and you will be entered into a draw for a $500 prize package from our friends at Genuine Health.

Bring along a camera and snap some photos. Share them with us each week and you will be eligible for weekly prizes from our friends at Genuine Health. Two lucky winners will have their photos displayed at a David Suzuki Foundation event on June 14th at Toronto's Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).

So don't miss out! The challenge begins on June 1st - register today.

Why should I spend time in nature?
Where can I find nearby nature?
What activities could I do each day?
What if I can't do 30 minutes a day?
How do I share my stories and photos?

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 30x30 - Good Luck tag:www.davidsuzuki.org,2012:/what-you-can-do//19.5289 2012-05-16T15:19:15Z 2012-05-16T15:22:25Z Thank you for joining the David Suzuki Foundation's 30×30 Challenge! For more information and a few tips on how to add nature to your daily routine, check out our 30×30... Thank you for joining the David Suzuki Foundation's 30×30 Challenge!

For more information and a few tips on how to add nature to your daily routine, check out our 30×30 FAQ page.

We would love to see photos from your new nature habit!

Submit photos of from daily dose of nature each week to our 30×30 Flickr group and you could win one of four weekly prize packages from our pals at Genuine Health. Winning photos from the first two weeks will be displayed at our upcoming event with Richard Louv and David Suzukiat the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) in Toronto!

And you can keep in touch throughout the 30 day challenge by joining our Facebook group.

Have fun, and good luck!

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 30x30 FAQs tag:www.davidsuzuki.org,2012:/what-you-can-do//19.5288 2012-05-16T14:37:54Z 2012-05-16T15:54:55Z Join David Suzuki Foundation's 30×30 Challenge by committing to spend 30 minutes in nature each day for 30 days, starting on June 1st. Start by signing up here[add link]. Get... Join David Suzuki Foundation's 30×30 Challenge by committing to spend 30 minutes in nature each day for 30 days, starting on June 1st. Start by signing up here[add link]. Get out into nature each day in June. Submit photos from your time in nature to our Flickr group for a chance to win weekly prizes. If you complete our closing survey you will be entered into a draw for a $500 prize package from our friends at Genuine Health.

Q. Why should I spend time in nature?

Over the last decade, researchers have realized what most of us know intuitively: nature is good for our health and wellbeing. It is well documented that being regularly immersed in a natural setting, like a park, wetland or forest, can reduce blood pressure, anxiety and stress levels, and boost immunity. Outdoor exercise has also been shown to increase energy levels and reduce anger, depression and obesity.

Q. Where can I find nearby nature?

Nature isn't a destination, it's literally in your backyard. You don't have to travel to a remote wilderness to connect with nature - nature surrounds us, even in a city. Even in our most dense urban neighbourhoods, green space is as close as your neighbourhood park or backyard garden. Community gardens, trails, ravines and beaches are often a short diversion from your daily routine. The birds and the bees (and other critters) are usually nearby; you just have to take time to listen.

Q. What activities could I do each day?

Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Use your lunch break to get out of the office and visit a nearby park
  • Grab your gloves and spend some time in a community or personal garden
  • Find a nice leafy tree to read a book under (We recommend this one[add link to book club]
  • Sit back and listen to the birds (binoculars optional)
  • Find some local trails and go for a walk, run or bike ride
  • On June 15th, get outside with your favourite little humans on Nature Play Day in Canada
  • Get a local tree, plant or wildlife guidebook and identify nature in your neighbourhood
  • Take a stroll each evening to a park, trail or beach
  • Ditch the indoor gym and go for a run or walk in a nearly park or trail instead

If you're more ambitious, check out a nearby park or recreational area or find local hiking groups.

Q. What if I can't do 30 minutes a day?

The challenge is 30 minutes a day for 30 days. Can't find 30 minutes a day? Try to find the nearest green space and visit for as long as you can at least once a day. Be sure to breathe deeply, feel the sun on your face and take comfort; absorb the wonders of nature bit by bit.

Q. How do I share my stories and photos?

  1. Sign up for the 30×30 Challenge here[link].
  2. To enter the 30×30 Flickr photo contest, upload photos from your time in nature each week to the David Suzuki Foundation's Nature in the City Flickr photo group . Prizes from our friends at Genuine Health will be awarded each week for the best photos. The first two weekly winners (selected on June 7th and June 14th) will have their photos displayed at our upcoming event at Toronto's renowned Art Gallery of Ontario.
  3. Share your stories and insights with our online community by joining the David Suzuki Foundation's Facebook group or Twitter feed.
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 Finding Solutions - Spring 2012 tag:www.davidsuzuki.org,2012:/publications//17.5287 2012-05-15T18:36:14Z 2012-05-15T19:28:12Z Finding Solutions is our quarterly report to you -- showing your donations at work in our recent victories and campaigns. Plus, it's full of tips, news, recommended books and movies, and ways you can help the environment in your everyday life.... Photo: Finding Solutions - Spring 2012
]]> Finding Solutions is our quarterly report to you -- showing your donations at work in our recent victories and campaigns. Plus, it's full of tips, news, recommended books and movies, and ways you can help the environment in your everyday life.

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 Celebrating sustainability - 2012 Spot Prawn Festival tag:www.davidsuzuki.org,2012:/what-you-can-do//19.5286 2012-05-14T22:54:25Z 2012-05-14T23:27:13Z SeaChoice Ambassador, Kim Mo, was on site to capture the festivities around B.C.'s sustainable seafood darling--the spot prawn.

The 6th Annual Spot Prawn Festival at Fisherman's Wharf was the biggest yet.(Credit: Pogo616.com)

]]> On Saturday, May 5th, Vancouverites came out in droves to celebrate the 6th Annual Spot Prawn Festival at the False Creek Fishermen's Wharf. The event kicked off the 2012 season (which will run until mid-late June) and featured a prawn boil, free cooking demonstrations from local celebrity chefs, and the opportunity to buy spot prawns right off the boat.

SeaChoice ambassador, Kim Mo, was on site to capture the festivities around B.C.'s sustainable seafood darling--the spot prawn.

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 My letter from Windex® tag:www.davidsuzuki.org,2012:/blogs/queen-of-green//16.5282 2012-05-13T08:00:00Z 2012-05-14T22:43:26Z Last week, I officially broke up with Windex®. I sent them a letter about their dirty secrets. And guess what: they wrote back! Photo: My letter from Windex®

I prefer to clean with cheap and effective DIY options like vinegar and water for glass and mirrors. (Credit: Jill Watson via Flickr)

]]> I officially broke up with Windex® because they don't list ingredients on their products. See for yourself when you take our home cleaners survey. But get this, they wrote back!

Lindsay,

We're sorry to hear you're breaking up with Windex®.

Like you, we think it's important for the people who use our home cleaning products to know what's in their favorite ones. So, before you say goodbye, we hope you'll take a few minutes to get the real facts about the ingredients in Windex® at whatsinsidescjohnson.ca

Please also know our commitment to list ingredients on Windex® labels is well underway, and you should see them on our products at your local stores this summer.

Because we value our relationship, we too want you to get the whole story and help you make the best choices for you and your family.

]]> Best regards,

Elizabeth
Consumer Relationship Center
SC Johnson, A Family Company

I checked out this whole story. Windex® ingredients are listed on their website--more than what most cleaning product companies provide. But I choose to stay away from harmful ingredients such as ammonia, fragrance and dyes. Now that my suspicions have been confirmed, I'll stick with vinegar and water.

I also found the SC Johnson FAQs section fascinating:

Question: Aren't natural products better?

Answer: "Not necessarily. "Natural" or home remedies are not necessarily safer, effective or lower in allergens. In fact, many natural products undergo limited or no scientific testing compared to the extensive toxicological evaluations that companies like SC Johnson require for their product formulations."

Question: Why do you use fragrance in your products?

Answer: "Consumers tell us they love fragrances...most of our testing shows that the majority of people love fragranced household products."

Question: Why use dyes?

Answer: "Dyes, preservatives and fragrances provide valuable benefits. Dyes are an important visual cue that helps you know where you're spraying a product and, in fact, that it's the product you intended to use."

Now that we know they're listening, let SC Johnson know you're looking forward to seeing ingredients listed on their products this summer! Find them on Facebook or @SCJGreenChoices.

What surprised you the most when you entered your home cleaners into our survey?

Sincerely,
Lindsay Coulter, Queen of Green

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 Happy Mother's Day tag:www.davidsuzuki.org,2012:/blogs/panther-lounge//20.5284 2012-05-11T23:48:53Z 2012-05-14T16:49:50Z Celebrate Mother's Day and Mother Earth. Send Mom an e-card from the David Suzuki Foundation. Photo: Happy Mother's Day
]]> Celebrate Mother's Day and Mother Earth.
Send Mom an e-card from the David Suzuki Foundation.

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 Gulf oil spill devastating for jobs and economy tag:www.davidsuzuki.org,2012:/blogs/healthy-oceans-blog//21.5283 2012-05-11T23:30:00Z 2012-05-12T17:23:01Z Eyeless shrimp, from a catch of 180 kilograms of eyeless shrimp, said to be caught September 22, 2011, in Barataria Bay, Louisiana. Carin Bondar. Photo: Gulf oil spill devastating for jobs and economy

Eyeless shrimp, from a catch of 180 kilograms of eyeless shrimp, said to be caught September 22, 2011, in Barataria Bay, Louisiana. (Credit: Erika Blumenfeld/Al Jazeera)

]]> In my last article on the long-term effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, I closed by stating that in some ways it's a good thing that the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico occurred in such a populated place. The disastrous 1989 Exxon oil spill in Prince William Sound was easy to ignore because it happened in a place few of us will ever see. The Gulf of Mexico is pretty much the opposite; it's home to about 21 million people and many of the most important fisheries in the United States. Before the spill, the crustacean, mollusc, benthic (bottom-dwelling) and pelagic (mid-depth) fisheries in the Gulf were worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year and employed thousands of workers.

And now?

]]> Research published in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences1 provides a detailed synopsis of the economic losses from the Gulf oil spill. First, the authors summarize the percentage loss of each fishery for 2010 based on the immediate effects of the oil. For shellfish and crustaceans, it was a whopping 100 per cent; these fisheries were closed. Marketability of pelagic fish was slightly higher at 50 per cent and the benthic fish fared the best, losing approximately 10 to 30 per cent of the annual catch in 2010. One must keep in mind that since the BP spill was from a deepwater well, the oil penetrated all levels of the ocean, not simply the surface and coastal waters. Also included in this synopsis is an estimated market recovery time. For crustaceans and shellfish it's between one and six years, and for benthic and pelagic fish around one year; however, we are now at the two-year mark and the palatability of seafood from the Gulf is debatable. A recent Al Jazeera article described massive catches of eyeless shrimp and fish with open lesions. Not exactly fodder for the dinner table.

If we assume that the fisheries will recover in the timeframes indicated in the survey (despite the fact that these are generous estimates), unemployment and overall economic losses are still astoundingly high. Job losses for three fishing industries: commercial, recreational and mariculture (cultivation of shellfish in ocean waters) combined with spinoff industries like boat building and fuel support are estimated to be 22,000 - with a total economic impact of $8.7 billion. These numbers do not take into account lost revenues from the tourism industry, which is predicted by Oxford Economics to be worth over $22 billion in the Gulf of Mexico2.

The take-home message:

We must stop being so reliant on oil. Accidental spills represent too large of a risk in terms of both economics (fisheries) and environment. Here in B.C., Enbridge proposes that construction of the Northern Gateway pipeline will create up to 3,000 short-term jobs, while long-term jobs will amount to a only a few hundred. Compare that to the several thousand people in British Columbia employed by fisheries or some directly related industry. Can our economy survive a collapse in fisheries caused by an oil spill? There is only one correct answer: No.

Carin Bondar is a biologist, TV host and science communicator with a PhD in population ecology from the University of British Columbia. She blogs for Scientific American and Huffington Post and has appeared in a scientific capacity on various international television networks. Her writing has been featured online at National Geographic Wild, Jezebel, Forbes, The Guardian, The Daily Beast and the Richard Dawkins Foundation. Find Dr. Bondar online , on twitter @drbondar or on her facebook page: Dr. Carin Bondar - Biologist With a Twist.

1 U.R. Sumaila, A.M. Cisneros-Montemayor, A. Dyck, L. Huang, J. Jacquet, K. Kleisner, V. Lam, A. McCrea-Strub, W. Swartz, R. Watson, D. Zeller, and D. Pauly. 2012. Impact of the Deepwater Horizon well blowout on the economics of US Gulf fisheries. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 69: 499-510.

2 Oxford Economics. 2010. Potential impact of the Gulf oil spill ontourism [online]. US Travel Association. From: Gulf_Oil_Spill_Analysis_Oxford_Economics_710.pdf

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