David Suzuki Quotes & Sayings

More than any other time in history, the 1990s will be a turning point for human civilization. — David Suzuki

Feeding our energy appetite is top of mind for many people these days. — David Suzuki

The economy - and the need to keep it strong and growing - has somehow become the most important aspect of modern life. Nothing else is allowed to rank higher. The economy is suffering; the economy is improving; the economy is stable or unstable - you'd think it was a patient on life support in an intensive-care unit from the way we anxiously await the next pronouncement on its health. But what we call the economy is nothing more than people producing, consuming and exchanging things and services. — David Suzuki

The medical literature tells us that the most effective ways to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and many more problems are through healthy diet and exercise. Our bodies have evolved to move, yet we now use the energy in oil instead of muscles to do our work. — David Suzuki

Each of us has the ability to act powerfully for change; together we can restore that ancient and sustaining harmony. — David Suzuki

More than a billion people lack adequate access to clean water. — David Suzuki

Global trade has advantages. For starters, it allows those of us who live through winter to eat fresh produce year-round. And it provides economic benefits to farmers who grow that food. — David Suzuki

If we continue to set human borders and the economy as our highest priorities, we will never come to grips with the destructiveness of our activities and institutions. — David Suzuki

So we draw lines around our property, our counties, our cities, our states, our countries. And, boy, do we act as if those lines are important. I mean, we go to war. We will kill and die to protect those boundaries. Nature couldn't give two hoots about our national boundaries ... — David Suzuki

Being an environmentalist isn't all about doom and gloom. — David Suzuki

We must reinvent a future free of blinders so that we can choose from real options. — David Suzuki

Virtually all of the extremely important services that nature provides are completely ignored by conventional economics. The ozone layer, for example, shields all life from DNA-damaging ultraviolet radiation. — David Suzuki

I can't imagine anything more important than air, water, soil, energy and biodiversity. These are the things that keep us alive. — David Suzuki

In the environmental movement, every time you lose a battle it's for good, but our victories always seem to be temporary and we keep fighting them over and over again. — David Suzuki

The whole sector of public dialogue has been totally contaminated, deliberately, by the corporate sector. The whole purpose is to sow confusion and doubt, and it's worked. — David Suzuki

With the world's human population now at seven billion and growing, and the demand for technology and modern conveniences increasing, we can't control all our negative impacts. But we have to find better ways to live within the limits nature and its cycles impose. — David Suzuki

The truth is, as most of us know, that global warming is real and humans are major contributors, mainly because we wastefully burn fossil fuels. — David Suzuki

Education has failed in a very serious way to convey the most important lesson science can teach: skepticism. — David Suzuki

If we want to address global warming, along with the other environmental problems associated with our continued rush to burn our precious fossil fuels as quickly as possible, we must learn to use our resources more wisely, kick our addiction, and quickly start turning to sources of energy that have fewer negative impacts. — David Suzuki

Think about a seed. Once it lands, it's stuck. It can't move to find better soil, moisture or sunlight. It's able to create every part of itself to grow and reproduce with the help of air, water and sun. — David Suzuki

It is not too late to take another path. — David Suzuki

The true - the true economy has got to come back into balance with the very biosphere that sustains us. And I think a lot of people just see the green economy as a different way of allowing the corporate agenda to continue to flourish. — David Suzuki

The increasing frequency of extreme weather events, droughts and floods is in line with what climate scientists have been predicting for decades - and evidence is mounting that what's happening is more severe than predicted, and will get far worse still if we fail to act. — David Suzuki

What we are doing is, rather than living on the interest of our basic biological capital, we're using up our capital, so we're dipping into our capital. We're using up what should be our children's and grandchildren's legacy. — David Suzuki

Conserving energy and thus saving money, reducing consumption of unnecessary products and packaging and shifting to a clean-energy economy would likely hurt the bottom line of polluting industries, but would undoubtedly have positive effects for most of us. — David Suzuki

Environmentalism has failed. — David Suzuki

A baby nursing at a mother's breast ... is an undeniable affirmation of our rootedness in nature. — David Suzuki

We repeat like a religious mantra the unquestioned benefits and power of science, information and economics, without inspecting the structures and methodology on which they are built. Many of these beliefs are insupportable and dangerous. For example, the notion that human beings are so clever that we can use science and technology to escape the restrictions of the natural world is a fantasy that cannot be fulfilled. Yet it underlies much of government's and industry's rhetoric and programs. — David Suzuki

Other things, like capitalism, free enterprise, the economy, currency, the market, are not forces of nature, we invented them. They are not immutable and we can change them. — David Suzuki

Human use of fossil fuels is altering the chemistry of the atmosphere; oceans are polluted and depleted of fish; 80 per cent of Earth's forests are heavily impacted or gone yet their destruction continues. An estimated 50,000 species are driven to extinction each year. We dump millions of tonnes of chemicals, most untested for their biological effects, and many highly toxic, into air, water and soil. We have created an ecological holocaust. Our very health and survival are at stake, yet we act as if we have plenty of time to respond. — David Suzuki

Corporations easily bully governments by threatening to deprive even democratic nations of their wealth. If we try too hard to control them, they say they'll leave and take their jobs with them. — David Suzuki

Conventional economics is a form of brain damage. Economics is so fundamentally disconnected from the real world, it is destructive. — David Suzuki

This is suicidal ... our home is the biosphere. That's a very thin layer of air, water and land where all life exists. It's fixed, it can't grow, and yet we cling to this idea that the economy can grow forever. And it must. Well, it can't. — David Suzuki

Pearl Harbor was the defining event in my life. It shaped who I am, and all of my hang-ups and my drives, I think, stem from that. — David Suzuki

Many countries - as well as cities, states and provinces - are taking global warming seriously and are working to reduce emissions and shift to cleaner energy sources. — David Suzuki

If all humans disappeared today ,the earth would start improving tomorrow.If all the ants disappeared today ,the earth would start dying tomorrow. — David Suzuki

Birds are, especially canaries, are super sensitive to hydrogen sulfide and sour gas. — David Suzuki

The way we live has less to do with individual choices and more to do with the general bent of our society than many of us realize. We forget that we don't need everything. — David Suzuki

It's time we stopped ignoring the environment. Let's not let another election go by without making this a high priority. — David Suzuki

Planting native species in our gardens and communities is increasingly important, because indigenous insects, birds and wildlife rely on them. Over thousands, and sometimes millions, of years they have co-evolved to live in local climate and soil conditions. — David Suzuki

Scientists generally are really chicken about getting involved in some kind of dispute. As a broadcaster, I find it very difficult to urge them, if it is a controversial subject. They don't want to have science being portrayed badly. — David Suzuki

Many instances of persecution and killing have occurred in countries with atrocious human rights records such as Sri Lanka, Guatemala and the Democratic Republic of Congo. — David Suzuki

Exxon, one of the companies that has spent tens of millions of dollars denying climate change, denying any responsibility to deal with, taking government subsidies on a massive scale, now their ads are all about, 'Oh, we want a clean future. We're looking at clean energy and all that stuff.' — David Suzuki

My parents survived the Great Depression and brought me up to live within my means, save some for tomorrow, share and don't be greedy, work hard for the necessities in life knowing that money does not make you better or more important than anyone else. So, extravagance has been bred out of my DNA. — David Suzuki

What permaculturists are doing is the most important activity that any group is doing on the planet. — David Suzuki

Do you know how much land is under ice, rock and snow? Do you know why 90 percent of us live within 100 kilometres of the U.S. border? We have this idea we're a vast country. But the reality is that a lot of it, a huge amount, is uninhabitable. — David Suzuki

We are playing Russian roulette with features of the planet's atmosphere that will profoundly impact generations to come. How long are we willing to gamble? — David Suzuki

Beyond reducing individual use, one of our top priorities must be to move from fossil fuels to energy that has fewer detrimental effects on water supplies and fewer environmental impacts overall. — David Suzuki

A balance between sustainable ecology and sustainable human life, on the one hand, and the unfettered drive for profit, on the other, is just an oxymoron. — David Suzuki

Too often, governments are quick to use excessive force and even pervert the course of justice to keep oil and gas flowing, forests logged, wild rivers dammed and minerals extracted. As the Global Witness study reveals, citizens are often killed, too - especially if they're poor and indigenous. — David Suzuki

Canada, more than any nation, will be affected by rising sea levels from global warming. — David Suzuki

Despite the international scientific community's consensus on climate change, a small number of critics continue to deny that climate change exists or that humans are causing it. Widely known as climate change "skeptics" or "deniers," these individuals are generally not climate scientists and do not debate the science with the climate scientists ... — David Suzuki

We have become a force of nature. — David Suzuki

The event of creation did not take place so many eons ago, astronomically or biologically speaking. Creation is taking place every moment of our lives. — David Suzuki

Albert Einstein was asked one day by a friend "Do you believe that absolutely everything can be expressed scientifically?" "Yes, it would be possible," he replied, "but it would make no sense. It would be description without meaning - as if you described a Beethoven symphony as a variation in wave pressure." RONALD W. CLARK, Einstein: The Life and Times — David Suzuki

Each of us now has 2.27 kg (5 lbs) of plastic embedded in our bodies. — David Suzuki

If we have any hope of finding ways for seven billion people to live well on planet with finite resources, we have to learn to use our resources efficiently. Plastic bags are neither efficient nor environmentally friendly. — David Suzuki

Corporations are not people. They shouldn't be funding. They shouldn't be funding campaigns at all. — David Suzuki

Our most fundamental social need, it turns out, to my amazement, is love. Now, I'm not a hippie-dippie whatever. If you look at the literature, our most fundamental need for children is an environment of maximum love, and that they can be hugged, kissed, and loved. That's what humanises us and allows us to realise our whole dimension. — David Suzuki

Japan is a model already to the lie that economic growth is the key to our future. If they can really show an alternative to nukes and fossil fuels, then they will be the poster boy for the renewable energy for the future. — David Suzuki

We have become a force of nature Not long ago, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, drought, forest fires, even earthquakes and volcanic explosions were accepted as "natural disasters or "acts of God." But now, we have joined God, powerful enough to influence these events. — David Suzuki

We have much to learn by studying nature and taking the time to tease out its secrets. — David Suzuki

If America wants to retain its position as a global power, its president must listen to the people and show strong leadership at this turning point in human history. — David Suzuki

Although it's the second largest country in the world, our useful area has been reduced. Our immigration policy is disgusting: We plunder southern countries by depriving them of future leaders, and we want to increase our population to support economic growth. — David Suzuki

Any politician or scientist who tells you these [GMO] products are safe is either very stupid or lying. — David Suzuki

If we call insects "pests," then we can make war on them. And we have done that, developing powerful chemicals that kill all insects to eliminate the ones that are troublesome to us. To me, using broad-spectrum pesticides is like dealing with high rates of crime in a town or neighbourhood by removing or killing everyone in the area. — David Suzuki

Change is never easy, and it often creates discord, but when people come together for the good of humanity and the Earth, we can accomplish great things. — David Suzuki

I feel humiliated that I live in a country that demands more already. Why do we cling to the notion that not only must we maintain the current level of consumption, but that it must continue to grow by an exponential factor of 2 to 7 percent every year? — David Suzuki

We can no longer tolerate what's going on in Ottawa and Edmonton. What I would challenge you to do is to put a lot of effort into trying to see whether there's a legal way of throwing our so-called leaders into jail because what they're doing is a criminal act. — David Suzuki

Thanks to evolution, our bodies have powerful ways to ward off illness and infection and enable us to live long and healthy lives. Why, then, do health costs continue to climb at unsustainable and frightening rates? — David Suzuki

We need love, and to ensure love, we need to have full employment, and we need social justice. We need gender equity. We need freedom from hunger. These are our most fundamental needs as social creatures. — David Suzuki

Scientists are being portrayed by much of the power structure in politics and business as having a vested interest - that they're just out to get more grant money by exaggerating the threats. — David Suzuki

Just as fossil fuels from conventional sources are finite and are becoming depleted, those from difficult sources will also run out. If we put all our energy and resources into continued fossil fuel extraction, we will have lost an opportunity to have invested in renewable energy. — David Suzuki

Nature surrounds us, from parks and backyards to streets and alleyways. Next time you go out for a walk, tread gently and remember that we are both inhabitants and stewards of nature in our neighbourhoods. — David Suzuki

Perhaps the whole world is actually a banquet, to which every living thing is invited. First you come as guests: then eventually you're on the menu. — David Suzuki

As parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts we need to start getting out into nature with the young people in our lives. Families play a key role in getting kids outside. — David Suzuki

The terrible part of this looming catastrophe is that people have been working on solutions for years and have developed concrete steps to massively reduce our energy use, while stimulating whole new industries and technologies that are more efficient and affordable. — David Suzuki

Our personal consumer choices have ecological, social, and spiritual consequences. It is time to re-examine some of our deeply held notions that underlie our lifestyles. — David Suzuki

We're in a giant car heading towards a brick wall and everyone's arguing over where they're going to sit. — David Suzuki

But human borders mean nothing to air, water, windblown soil or seeds or migrating fish, birds or mammals. — David Suzuki

Doing all we can to combat climate change comes with numerous benefits, from reducing pollution and associated health care costs to strengthening and diversifying the economy by shifting to renewable energy, among other measures. — David Suzuki

Faced with the evidence, many deniers have started to admit that global warming is real, but argue that humans have little or nothing to do with it. — David Suzuki

Scientists and supercomputers have amplified our ability to look ahead. For decades, experts have warned us that human numbers, technology, hyper-consumption and a global economy are altering the chemical, geological, and biological properties of the biosphere. — David Suzuki

We all live downstream — David Suzuki

Economics and a reliance on science and technology to solve our problems has led to an unsustainable situation where continued growth in consumption is required for governments and business to be considered successful. This is a form of insanity. Economics is at the heart of our destructive ways and our faith in it has blinded us — David Suzuki

We are over 60 percent water by weight. We're just a big ball of ... blob of water, with enough organic thickener added so we don't dribble away on the floor. — David Suzuki

Outright bans on plastic bags may not be the best solution, but education and incentives to get people to stop using them are necessary. — David Suzuki

On December 7, 1941, an event took place that had nothing to do with me or my family and yet which had devastating consequences for all of us - Japan bombed Pearl Harbour in a surprise attack. With that event began one of the shoddiest chapters in the tortuous history of democracy in North America. — David Suzuki

It doesn't give me any satisfaction to think that my concerns will be validated by my grandchildren's generation. I would love to be wrong in everything. My grandchildren are my stake in the near future, and it's my great hope that they might one day say, 'Grandpa was part of a great movement that helped to turn things around.' — David Suzuki

We needn't be saddened with the impossible weight of managing the entire biosphere, but we must meet the challenge of living in balance with the sacred elements. — David Suzuki

The environment is so fundamental to our continued existence that it must transcend politics and become a central value of all members of society. — David Suzuki

Water is our most precious resource, but we waste it, just as we waste other resources, including oil and gas. — David Suzuki

My earliest memory from childhood is of fishing with my father. And I remember vividly we were in a store, and we were buying a pup tent to go on our first camping trip. — David Suzuki

Plastic bags are bad and for the most part unnecessary. — David Suzuki

Environmentalism is a way of seeing our place within the biosphere. — David Suzuki

Rapid population growth and technological innovation, combined with our lack of understanding about how the natural systems of which we are a part work, have created a mess. — David Suzuki

Most North Americans know that human-caused global warming is real, even if political leaders don't always reflect or act on that knowledge. — David Suzuki

Corporations are economic entities or structures, and yet they're allowed to fund political candidates, and when those candidates are elected, guess who gets in the door first? It's corporations. — David Suzuki

Just as human activity is upsetting Earth's carbon cycle, our actions are altering the water cycle. — David Suzuki

Come on Canada, it's time to kick our bad habits and get into shape! — David Suzuki