He is a Force of Nature

Country: Canada
Year: 2009
Runtime: 93 min.

Last weekend, I went to see the documentary about Dr. David Suzuki entitled Force of Nature by Sturla Gunnarsson (made such films as the 2006 Beowulf and Grendel) at the Toronto International Film Festival.

At 75 years old, Suzuki is still going strong and shares a more emotional side with viewers of this film when he is taken to Japan (where his grandparents lived) and the internment camp where he and his family were forced to go from Vancouver - the only home his parents had ever known. The doc spends lots of time exploring Suzuki's relationship with his father and how the humiliation of what happened to Japanese-Canadians after Pearl Harbor effected the families. You can see how this event helped to propel Suzuki forward to become a leader in his field and he found drive in himself to speak out about what he was passionate about: nature and science. We get to see the early days of Suzuki and broadcasting and the evolution his own storytelling takes as he shares the secrets of nature's science with all of us.

The film is framed around Suzuki's "legacy lecture" which he gives at the University of British Columbia to a sold-out crowd. What does he share as part of his "last" lecture to the avid listeners? Science, of course! Suzuki if very much a scientist, a geneticist to be precise, and we see much of this throughout the film. The lecture was actually the last part filmed and we learn from director and subject that the documentary process played quite a part in shaping Suzuki's legacy talk.

Something I thought we'd see more of is Suzuki current family (I believe he has four children, but we really only seem to focus on one). At the film screening itself, Dr. Suzuki was there and he admitted wanting to see more of his wife, Dr. Tara Cullis. Suzuki also admits how difficult is was to see the film for the first time.

I am glad that Sturla Gunnarsson shared this glimpse into Suzuki's more private life and how he became the Force of Nature. Readers of my blog can probably tell this environmentalist has definitely been and continues to be a sort of hero of mine. I find it beyond impressive that even at 75, Suzuki is still on the road, delivering presentations and creating radio shows about the most pressing environmental issues that we face today and will be facing tomorrow.

As always, if you're looking for an org. to support, visit: www.davidsuzuki.org to learn about volunteering opportunities near you.

Needing some good news

David Suzuki
and Holly Dressel's
More Good News
2010
$22.95 (CAN)

I don't know about you, but lately I have been finding it difficult to find inspiration amidst all of the pretty dire news around BP's oil spill and the general lack of good news stories when it comes to environmental or sustainability issues. Well, I shouldn't be so bleak. I admit I was definitely in need of a book like Holly Dressel and David Suzuki's More Good News. I'll try to keep the story short about how I picked this book up, but it all revolves around my interview with Dr. Suzuki for work and how this was a big moment for me.

Not too long ago, I felt very lucky to have the chance to speak with Dr. Suzuki over the phone about the work he is doing with his Foundation. Hearing Dr. Suzuki talk with such excitement about the great initiatives like training community motivators to bring about "greener" changes in their workplaces and communities was pretty great. I felt tongue-tied as I tried to muster up my questions for Dr. Suzuki who I'd watched on television as a child, mesmerized by his clear and steady delivery of the most fascinating natural science facts and history on The Nature of Things. For a man who could be in retirement, he sure is keeping busy with books, speaking tours and other upcoming projects. Needless to say, I listened intently and hoped my tape recorder wouldn't cut out on this really unique experience.

Back to More Good News, but perhaps along the same line, this book is all about sharing stories and accounts of how companies and individuals are coming up with sustainable solutions to help us navigate through the problems we've created on our planet. Sound interesting? Then read on...

Eco-stories to Save the Planet: More Good News spans a healthy number of topics to satiate appetites for various types of change, from biodiversity (how coyotes are being reintroduced to help encourage grass to grow in parts of the U.S.) to green jobs (examples of sustainable companies that are ensuring the jobs will be there for generations to come). This book is, I think, useful for those looking for solutions and possibly ideas to use in their own work and communities, though I'll admit it probably isn't going to be for everyone. The authors suggest that we must develop a whole new value system to continue living on this planet we call home. They point to the practices of traditional peoples as those we should model new forms of restraint and "conservation" after. If you're looking to make sustainability part of your "work", then you could use to pick up a copy of More Good News. You would definitely learn a thing or two.

About the authors: I have begun introducing you to Dr. David Suzuki already, but he is also an acclaimed scientist (on top of being an environmentalist and award-winning broadcaster) and he has authored more than 40 books. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the United Nations Environment Program Medal, the Right Livelihood Award and is also a Companion of the Order of Canada. His co-author is Holly Dressel, who also coauthored From Naked Ape to Superspecies (as well as the first edition of this book, Good News for a Change). Dressel is also an adjunct professor at the School of the Environment at McGill University.

Check out David Suzuki's Foundation for ways to get involved and motivate your community (if you live in Canada): www.davidsuzuki.org.