David Suzuki

The COVID-19 crisis has had two enormous and related consequences — it brought much of human activity to a halt and it’s given nature a respite. Both provide an opportunity to reset society's priorities and head in a different direction.   Confrontation with the reality of a new epidemic should have subdued political and economic imperatives to scientific reality and the US and Brazil have shown what happens when science is ignored or brushed aside. In a time of accusations of fake media, deep conspiracies, and relentless trolls, scientists ?should have regained authoritative prominence, and people have had to confront important questions about purpose, values, opportunities, and constraints in the way we choose to live. During the pandemic, the murder of George Floyd in the US and Indigenous people and the outbreak of racist attacks against Asians in Canada have revealed deep-seated racism and inequities that must be dealt with in a post-Covid world.   In this exploratory presentation, Dr. David Suzuki touches on some of the stark questions and answers we’ve encountered during this global pandemic, from our impact on the environment and our ability to change it, to our dependence on the human creation called the economy and the unfair treatment of our elders, indigenous people, homeless people, etc.   Suzuki puts out a call to action for all of us to rethink our priorities and learn the ultimate lesson in front of us — that nature can be far more forgiving than we deserve. Post-COVID, he says, let us continue to allow her to recover and learn how to put our efforts into living green and building a society that not only restores Earth’s sustainable productivity, yet encourages collaboration and humanity.     His virtual or in person presentation can run from 60 to 90 minutes, including a 30-60-minute keynote and Q&A.