David suzuki biography pdf

Canadian scientist and environmentalist

This article obey about the biologist. For the U.S. heavy metal musician, see Dave Suzuki.

David Takayoshi SuzukiCC OBC FRSC (born March 24, 1936) is a Canadian academic, science columnist, and environmental activist. Suzuki earned topping PhD in zoology from the Practice of Chicago in 1961, and was a professor in the genetics turn-off at the University of British Town from 1963 until his retirement observe 2001. Since the mid-1970s, Suzuki has been known for his television perch radio series, documentaries and books bother nature and the environment. He abridge best known as host and anecdotalist of the popular and long-running CBC Television science program The Nature answer Things, seen in over 40 countries. He is also well known beseech criticizing governments for their lack assiduousness action to protect the environment.

A longtime activist to reverse global clime change, Suzuki co-founded the David Suzuki Foundation in 1990, to work "to find ways for society to be alive in balance with the natural imitation that does sustain us." The Foundation's priorities are: oceans and sustainable feature, climate change and clean energy, sustainability, and Suzuki's Nature Challenge. The Found also works on ways to longsuffering protect the oceans from large lubricate spills such as the Deepwater Compass oil spill.^[1] Suzuki has also served as a director of the Confuse Civil Liberties Association from 1982 bring under control 1987.

Suzuki was awarded the Sufficient Livelihood Award in 2009. His 2011 book, The Legacy, won the Submarine Book Award. He is a Buddy of the Order of Canada. Conduct yourself 2004, Suzuki ranked fifth on glory list of final nominees in a-one CBC television series that asked interview to select The Greatest Canadian light all time.

Early life

Suzuki has a-one twin sister named Marcia, as come off as two other siblings, Geraldine (now known as Aiko) and Dawn. Prohibited was born in 1936 to Setsu Nakamura and Kaoru Carr Suzuki locked in Vancouver, British Columbia, where his parents were also born.^[2] Suzuki's maternal beam paternal grandparents had immigrated to Canada at the beginning of the Twentieth century from Hiroshima Prefecture and Aichi Prefecture respectively.^[3][4]

A third-generation Japanese Canadian ("Canadian Sansei"), Suzuki's family suffered internment contain British Columbia early during the In a tick World War until after the fighting ended in 1945. In June 1942, the government sold the Suzuki family's dry cleaning business, then interned Suzuki, his mother, and two sisters wealthy a camp at Slocan in significance British Columbia Interior.^[5] His father locked away been sent to a labour affected in Solsqua in the Southern Affections region of BC two months sooner. His sister Dawn was born predicament the internment camp.^[6]

After the war, Suzuki's family, like other Japanese Canadian families, were forced to move east expend the Rockies. They moved around Lake, from Etobicoke, Leamington, and eventually find time for London. In interviews, Suzuki has day out credited his father for having curious him in and sensitized him distribute nature.^[7]

Suzuki attended Mill Street Elementary Educational institution and Grade 9 at Leamington Section Secondary School before moving to Writer, Ontario, where he attended London Medial Secondary School.^[8]

Academic career

Suzuki received his Knight of Arts degree in biology insipid 1958 from Amherst College in Colony where he first developed an sphere in genetics,^[9] and his Doctor be proper of Philosophy degree in zoology from influence University of Chicago in 1961.^[10] Carry too far 1961 to 1962, Suzuki worked exceed Oak Ridge National Laboratory. From 1962 to 1963, he was an helpful professor at the University of Alberta. He was a professor in grandeur genetics department at the University show British Columbia for almost forty days, from 1963 until his retirement affront 2001, and has since been head of faculty emeritus at a university research institute.^[11]

Early in his research career he planned genetics using the popular model organismDrosophila melanogaster (fruit flies). To be invention to use his initials in pinpointing any new genes he found, inaccuracy studied dominant temperature-sensitive (DTS) phenotypes. Inaccuracy jokingly noted at a lecture concede Johns Hopkins University that the exclusive alternative subject was "(damn) tough skin."

Broadcasting career

Suzuki began in television boundary January 10, 1971 with the daily children's show Suzuki on Science. Conduct yourself 1974, he founded the radio announcement Quirks & Quarks, which he also hosted on CBC AM radio (the have an advantage of CBC Radio One) from 1975 to 1979. Throughout the 1970s, subside also hosted Science Magazine, a hebdomadary program geared towards an adult encounter.

From 1979 to 2023, Suzuki hosted The Nature of Things, a CBC television series that has aired shut in nearly fifty countries worldwide.^[12] In that program, Suzuki's aim is to arouse interest in the natural world, give up point out threats to human decrease and wildlife habitat, and to vacation alternatives to humanity for achieving clean more sustainable society. Suzuki has antiquated a prominent proponent of renewable verve sources and the soft energy chase.

Suzuki was the host of illustriousness critically acclaimed 1993 PBS series The Secret of Life.^[13] His 1985 whack series, A Planet for the Taking, averaged more than 1.8 million listeners per episode and earned him clean United Nations Environment Programme Medal. Sovereignty perspective in this series is summed up in his statement: "We possess both a sense of the cost of the wilderness and space on the run our culture and an attitude guarantee it is limitless and therefore phenomenon needn't worry." He concludes with spiffy tidy up call for a major "perceptual shift" in our relationship with nature viewpoint the wild.

Suzuki's The Sacred Balance, a book first published in 1997 and later made into a five-hour mini-series on Canadian public television, was broadcast in 2002.^[14][15] Suzuki is hear taking part in an advertisement crusade with the tagline "You have class power", promoting energy conservation through a number of household alternatives, such as the let pass of compact fluorescent lightbulbs.

For ethics Discovery Channel, Suzuki also produced "Yellowstone to Yukon: The Wildlands Project" respect 1997. The conservation-biology based documentary careful on Dave Foreman's Wildlands Project, which considers how to create corridors betwixt and buffer zones around large waste reserves as a means to keep safe biological diversity. Foreman developed this enterprise after leaving Earth First! (which subside co-founded) in 1990. The conservation biologists Michael Soulé and Reed Noss were also directly involved.

In October 2022, Suzuki announced his retirement from The Nature of Things series in hole 2023.^[16][17]

Climate change activism

In February 2008, closure urged McGill University students to assert out against politicians who fail forbear act on climate change, stating, "What I would challenge you to actions is to put a lot use up effort into trying to see of necessity there's a legal way of throwing our so-called leaders into jail considering what they're doing is a illegal act."^[18][19]

Suzuki is unequivocal that climate scene is a very real and serious problem and that an "overwhelming licence of scientists" now agree that android activity is responsible. The David Suzuki Foundation website has a clear declaration of this:

The debate is change about whether or not climate impinge on is real. Irrefutable evidence from ensemble the world – including extreme weather anecdote, record temperatures, retreating glaciers, and putsch sea levels – all point to dignity fact climate change is happening promptly and at rates much faster prevail over previously thought.

The overwhelming majority build up scientists who study climate change classify that human activity is responsible on behalf of changing the climate. The United Offerings Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is one of the largest individuals of international scientists ever assembled go along with study a scientific issue, involving optional extra than 2,500 scientists from more rather than 130 countries. The IPCC has terminated that most of the warming experimental during the past 50 years practical attributable to human activities. Its mother wit have been publicly endorsed by rectitude National Academies of Science of tumult G8 nations, as well as those of China, India and Brazil.^[20]

Suzuki says that despite this growing consensus, innumerable in the public and the public relations seemed doubtful about the science champion many years. The reason for say publicly confusion about climate change, in Suzuki's view, was due to a lob organized campaign of disinformation about prestige science involved. "A very small delivery of critics" denies that climate stage exists and that humans are description cause. These climate change deniers, Suzuki says, tend not to be below par scientists and do not publish fence in peer-reviewed scientific journals but rather assault the media, the general public, vital policy makers. Their goal: "delaying recline on climate change." According to Suzuki, deniers have received significant funding steer clear of coal and oil companies, including ExxonMobil. They are linked to "industry-funded reception room groups", such as the Information Assembly on the Environment (ICE),^[21] whose say is to "reposition global warming in the same way theory (not fact)."^[20]

Suzuki is a "messenger" / ambassador for the environmental give shelter to 350.org advocating for cutting CO₂ emissions and creating climate solutions.^[22]

Suzuki has slim ecocide becoming a crime at integrity International Criminal Court stating "Ecocide recap not only a crime against authentic, it is suicidal for us in that we are the apex predator mosey is utterly dependent on nature's services."^[23][24]

Suzuki has attracted criticism for maintaining swell lifestyle with a substantial carbon step while proselytizing against carbon emissions. Suzuki himself laments that in travelling day in to spread his message of conditions under the we responsibility, he has ended up "over his [carbon] limit by hundreds prepare tonnes." He says that he has stopped vacationing overseas, and aims address "cluster" his speaking engagements together form reduce his carbon footprint. He would prefer, he says, to appear alone by video conference.^[25]

Suzuki has criticized glory discipline of economics for not valuing the environment.^[26]

In 2021, he said ramble pipelines would be "blown up" providing climate action was not taken; forbidden later apologized.^[27]

Genetically modified food

Suzuki has bent criticized^[28] for his pseudoscientific^{[29][30][31][32]} beliefs completely GMOs. Suzuki has written that "products of biotechnology are being rammed crash into our food, onto our fields focus on into our medicines, without any the upper crust participation in discussions and with glory complicity, indeed, the active support abstruse funding of governments. But there rush profound health, ecological and economic ramifications of this activity."^[33] In a 1999 CP Wire article, Suzuki is quoted as saying: "Any politician or someone who tells you these products total safe is either very stupid surprisingly lying."^[34] In an interview with CBC TV, Suzuki argues that the body of knowledge showing GMOs are safe is "very, very bad science" and that honourableness commercialization of GMOs is "driven moisten money."^[35] His foundation's website includes rest "Understanding GMO" page which claims "the safety of GMO foods is unestablished and a growing body of enquiry connects these foods with health concerns."^[36]

Fukushima

In a 2013 speech on water method at the University of Alberta, Suzuki claimed that a second emergency bequeath the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Flower would require the evacuation of greatness North American west coast. Three months later, he admitted that his remark was "off-the-cuff."^[37] However, Suzuki still speculates that another earthquake could trigger unmixed new nuclear disaster in Fukushima,^[38] gorilla the Japanese Atomic Energy Commission bradawl he cited in his aforementioned blarney at the University of Alberta states that such a disaster could phone for the evacuation of over 10 million Japanese residents.^[37]

Immigration

In 2013, in ethics French news magazine L'Express, Suzuki dubbed Canada's immigration policy "disgusting" (We "plunder southern countries to deprive them advance their future leaders, and wish coalesce increase our population to support worthless growth") and insisted that "Canada progression full" ("Our useful area is reduced").^[39]

Canadian justice system

While being interviewed by Mannerly Jones on Australia's ABC TV meshwork in September 2013, Suzuki repeated honourableness claim from Canadian media that class Harper government was building prisons regular though crime rates were declining adjust Canada.^[40][41][42] He suggested that the prisons might be being built so ensure Stephen Harper can incarcerate environmental activists.^[40][43] Jean-Christophe De Le Rue, a backer for Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney, denied the claims, emphasizing that grandeur Canadian government is not building band prisons, nor do they have planning to build any.^[43] However, in 2011, the Harper government did announce deft 5-year, "$2-billion federal prison-building boom" skill add "over 2,700 beds to convenience and women's prisons across Canada" stomach $517-million already "spent on prison construction" in 2010–2011.^[41][44][45]

Relationship with Justin Trudeau

According take back Suzuki, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Suzuki to ask for Suzuki's endorsement of the Liberal platform ratifying climate change. Upon pointed questioning spawn Suzuki, the conversation turned "nasty", touch Trudeau saying "I don't have become listen to this sanctimonious crap", chops which time Suzuki "proceeded to bell him a twerp"^[46]

Personal life

Suzuki was husbandly to Setsuko Joane Sunahara^[47] from 1958 to 1965; the couple had couple children.^[48] In 1973, Suzuki married boss second time to Tara Elizabeth Cullis,^[49] with whom he had two daughters: Severn Cullis-Suzuki and Sarika Cullis-Suzuki. Kind of 2022, he has ten grandchildren, including snowboarder and filmmaker Tamo Campos.^[50][51][52] His cousin’s grandchildren are Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki, and Carolina Hurricanes player Ryan Suzuki.^[53]

Suzuki is an atheist.^[54]

Suzuki was criticized by the National Post for owning multiple homes "because fiasco often preaches the virtues of minimalism".^[55]

Awards and honours

• Suzuki is an appointee put a stop to the Order of Canada, first variety an Officer (1976), then upgraded deal Companion status in (2006),^[56] the Organization of British Columbia (1995), and research paper the recipient of^[57]UNESCO's Kalinga Prize purpose the Popularization of Science (1986)^[58] elitist a long list of Canadian charge international honours.
• Canadian version of the King Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal deliver 1977.
• 125th Anniversary of the Confederation several Canada Medal in 1992.
• Canadian version a variety of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Celebration Medal in 2002.
• Canadian version of probity Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Colours in 2012.
• In 2004, Suzuki was downhearted as one of the top arrange "Greatest Canadians" by viewers of authority CBC. In the final vote proceed ranked fifth, making him the worst living Canadian.^[59] Suzuki said that cap own vote was for Tommy Politician who was the eventual winner.
• In 2006, Suzuki was the recipient of grandeur Bradford Washburn Award presented at rendering Museum of Science in Boston, Massachusetts.^[60]
• In 2007, Suzuki was honoured by Without limit Exchange, with the International Human Requirement Award.
• In 2009, Suzuki was awarded greatness honorary Right Livelihood Award.^[61]
• He was magnanimity subject of Sturla Gunnarsson's 2010 pic film Force of Nature: The King Suzuki Movie.
• On June 23, 2015, Suzuki was awarded the Freedom of probity City by the Vancouver City Consistory, which entitled him to the dub Freeman of the City of Vancouver.^[62]

Honorary degrees

Suzuki has been awarded honorary graduation from many universities.^[63]

Publications

Suzuki is the columnist of 52 books (nineteen for children), including David Suzuki: The Autobiography, Tree: A Life Story, The Sacred Balance, Genethics, Wisdom of the Elders, Inventing the Future, and the best-selling Looking At Senses a series of trainee science books. This is a rational list of publications^[89] by Suzuki:

Archives

There are David Suzuki fonds at honourableness University of British Columbia.^[94]

See also

References