I'd vote for David Suzuki

I was listening to Ideas on CBC Radio One and the episode was Taking the Pulse of the Planet

David Suzuki and Stephen Lewis in conversation with Eleanor Wachtel, host of Writers and Company, on the politics of the environment and Canadian values. A personal, passionate and wide-ranging evening with two of Canada's foremost activists.

I've always enjoyed David Suzuki and have believed that he truly has had his finger on the pulse of the environment for many years (decades) now. (and once i was behind him at airport security, right behind him, but was too shy -as usual- to say how wonderful I thought he is, sigh... how canadian) And I followed the if YOU were Prime Minister... tour through the blog on his David Suzuki Foundation. I think that Suzuki is one of the most influential people in media and I hope that more people listen to his warnings of the impending climate change.

I went to a comedy show a short time ago, and the comedian on stage was a stereotypical Alberta. Do I need to explain this? (arrogant, sexist, materialistic, money and oil hungry "texans" of the north -in my opinion- would be the stereotype I'm referring to). And during his set he kept going on and on about how he got caught in "David Suzuki's Global Warming" last weekend (meaning a big dump of snow and cold). And I noticed that he kept trying to draw the audience in, and each time he got less of a laugh.

Of course it's not Suzuki's Global Warming, he doesn't own the words, and in fact we should all own up to what's happening on this earth. He has brought more attention to it, yes. But Suzuki has often been referred to as "that hippie from B.C." (that was what they were thinking) not someone to really take to much attention of (especially on the political front). It is the massive (in fame, not stature) Al Gore and his Inconvenient Truth who has made such an impact. Here is where you've got to start thanking Hollywood for jumping on the bandwagon with this. How often are documentaries so vital to governmental change in views on the importance of the environment?

The radio show I was listening to went over the history of this big, new thing; the environment, the kyoto protocol, and the empty promises made and broken by governments (not before made nearly useless by blackmailing from corporate companies). Sorta makes me sad... but hopeful too because to hear Suzuki sound so hopeful, confident that we can all make a difference, and that we as the public can influence our government to pay attention. But as a country we'd have to make some huge sacrifices (like 1% of the G.D.P.) and even give new technologies to third world countries so they too can stop polluting. Yes, GIVE things to other countries that cannot afford it otherwise. Sure, it does sound a little socialist eh? (that was a bad word where I grew up... well, to some people) But isn't that the point?

And until a couple of months ago the New Government of Canada (as they prefer to still refer to themselves as) had a laughable environmental plan (remember, it would take until 2050 to get going), but they're starting to bring the environment more and more to the forefront, still a sad effort if you ask me:

Preserving the environment with a balanced action plan including rebates on fuel-efficient vehicles and efficient alternative fuel vehicles, an incentive to get older polluting cars off the road and a Green Levy on fuel-inefficient vehicles; by developing a new National Water Strategy; and by providing $1.5 billion to establish a Canada ecoTrust for Clean Air and Climate Change.

We're talking about the earth here, historians theorize that carbon pollution killed off the dinosaurs and began a ice age, and here we are doing it to ourselves. There are few things that survived that ice age, and none of them were human. Even if were able to buy ourselves a bit of time with the use of our non-renewable resources, it's not a long time solution.

Not that I'd wish it a career for Suzuki, but if he ever ran for prime minister I'd vote for him. I prefer him on the sidelines cheering us on to direct politics in a better way.