David Suzuki, Canadian Icon

I grew up watching a program called The Nature of Things, hosted by Japanese-Canadian eco-icon David Suzuki. As my hometown is near Suzuki’s hometown of Vancouver, BC, he was also considered a local and my family and friends were all fans of his. The Nature of Things was a program dedicated to educating the world about the balance of nature and alternative ways of living that allow for all creatures to live in harmony with nature. And of course- it was a cool show! My whole family watched it together weekly, and it was always followed by excited discussion, and sometimes lifestyle changes. Today, this type of program is common, but 20 years ago it was ground breaking.

As I mentioned, Suzuki is something of a Canadian legend. He was recently voted #5 greatest all-time Canadian, and was the only top 5 member who is currently alive. He has a Ph.D and over 20 honorary degrees. He has hosted numerous tv and radio shows and published about a dozen books, mostly on biology with a focus on eco living. He also co-created a radio program called Quirk & Quarks, which my mother has listened to every day of my life.

Recently, I found an article about Suzuki in The Japan Times, and it reminded of someone who was a childhood hero, and I realized that he remains my hero to this day. Although now retired from his teaching position, he still seems to be actively engaging the world in discussion about the future of our planet and how to make the world a better place for all creatures. In the article, Suzuki discusses Japan and I found it interesting that he focuses mainly on Japanese fisheries and wildlife management techniques. It’s rare to read an article about Japan which doesn’t mention Tokyo, temples or tea ceremony. The article also talks about his life and connections with Japan. If you’d like to read the article, click HERE.

If you’d like to read more about David Suzuki, check out wikipedia’s article on him HERE, or check out his website HERE.

Who was your childhood hero? Mine was David Suzuki, host of The Nature of Things.

Edward, SSE Otsu