Change-maker Feature: David Suzuki

Here lies the first instalment of ‘Change-maker of the Week'. It provides a platform to praise those who are instrumental in making the world a better place. Hopefully these people inspire you to spark change, big or small, like they have for me.

My first profile is a big one, and although this is a distanced, biographical feature, I hope to interview this man myself one day. David Suzuki, via his books, introduced me to science when I was 5 years old. I learnt how to make ink from blueberries from ‘Looking at Plants' (see below my copies, sticky notes with 5 year old spelling included) and more importantly, observe the world around me in finer detail.

David Suzuki is an environmental scientist, communicator and activist who has had a diverse and active career for over 60 years.

Suzuki was born in British Columbia in 1936 after his grandparents emigrated from Japan. His family lost their dry-cleaning business during World War II after it was sold by the government they were forced to live in camps.

Post-war, aged 22, Suzuki completed a Bachelor of Arts in biology from Amherst College in Massachusetts. He then dove straight back in and graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy in zoology from the University of Chicago at 25 years old. He continued his academic career as a professor in genetics at the University of British Columbia for close to 40 years.

In 1970, Suzuki hosted a children’s TV show ’Suzuki on Science’. This initiated a long and successful career in radio and TV which encouraged his audience to appreciate science, nature and being outdoors. He was also an early and prominent voice in the renewable energy movement and showed that small everyday behaviours such as using fluorescent lightbulbs can help significantly reduce energy consumption.

He is still an important voice in the global climate change crisis and leads the David Suzuki Foundation which has projects working towards mitigating climate change, protecting biodiversity, environmental rights, sustainable cities, and protecting the ocean.

He has also authored over 50 books, 19 of which are for children, and received over 20 honorary degrees from universities worldwide.

So many incredible achievements, most of all being (in my personal opinion) inspiring young people to get outside and experience nature.

"Why do you need to go outside? For one thing, to appreciate what it is that keeps you alive. And the more time you spend outside, the more you are able to sense change in that world.” - David Suzuki, Letters to my Grandchildren.

If this short snippet sparked your interest in Suzuki’s work go here: https://davidsuzuki.org

DAVID SUZUKI FOUNDATION. 2019. David Suzuki Foundation [Online]. Available: https://davidsuzuki.org[Accessed 26 July 2019].

SUZUKI, D. 2018. David Suzuki [Online]. The Guardian. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/david-suzuki[Accessed 26 July 2019].

WIKIPEDIA. 2019. David Suzuki [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Suzuki[Accessed 26 July 2019].