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David Suzuki

David Suzuki Quotes

Professor

David Suzuki is a Canadian professor, author, television host, environmental activist, and scientist. He is renowned for his contributions to environmental protection, particularly in the areas of climate change, biodiversity, and sustainability. Born on March 24, 1936, Suzuki has been active in the public sphere since the 1960s.

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Famous David Suzuki Quotes

“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.”

Ifs Shows Lying Energy Growth Boys Economic Keys Models Alternatives Fuel Japan Our Future Fossils Economic Growth Fossil Fuel Posters Renewable Energy Burning Fossil Fuels Nukes

Author:David Suzuki

“The way we see the world shapes the way we treat it. If a mountain is a deity, not a pile of ore; if a river is one of the veins of the land, not potential irrigation water; if a forest is a sacred grove, not timber; if other species are biological kin, not resources; or if the planet is our mother, not an opportunity -- then we will treat each other with greater respect. Thus is the challenge, to look at the world from a different perspective.”

“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.”

Ifs Humans Economy Activity Highest Institutions Priorities Borders Destructiveness

Book:Everything Under the Sun: Toward a Brighter Future on a Small Blue Planet

Source: Everything Under the Sun: Toward a Brighter Future on a Small Blue Planet

“If Canada, one of the richest nations in the world, can't meet Kyoto targets, why should China or India give any considerations for meeting the targets?”

Ifs World Giving Should Nations India Meetings China Canada Consideration Target Kyoto

Author:David Suzuki

“Our beliefs, our values shape the way we look out at the world and the way we treat it. If we believe that we were here, placed here by God, that this - all of this creation is for us, it's for us to go and occupy, dominate and exploit, then we will proceed to do that.”

Ifs World Way Believe Looks Values Belief Creation Shapes Treats Exploits

Author:David Suzuki

“If we pollute the air, water and soil that keep us alive and well, and destroy the biodiversity that allows natural systems to function, no amount of money will save us.”

Ifs Wells Water Natural Alive Air Amount Function Soil Positive Energy Biodiversity

Author: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.”

People Ifs Way Wells Use Planets Findings Resources Seven Billions Bags Friendly Efficient Plastic Finite Live Well Plastic Bags Environmentally Friendly

Author: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.”

Ifs Knows Humans Real Political Leader Global Warming Political Leaders

Author: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.”

Ifs Has Beens Stills Lines Failing Events Happenings Evidence Scientist Climate Extremes Decades Weather Flood Severe Frequency Drought Predicting Extreme Weather

Author: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.”

People Ifs Want Humans Shows America Strong President Position Human History Turning Points

Author: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.”

“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.”

Ifs Running Opportunity Energy Lost Difficult Source Becoming Resources Fuel Conventional Finite Fossils Fossil Fuel Renewable Energy Burning Fossil Fuels Extraction Renewable Resources

Author:David Suzuki

“The damage that climate change is causing and that will get worse if we fail to act goes beyond the hundreds of thousands of lives, homes and businesses lost, ecosystems destroyed, species driven to extinction, infrastructure smashed and people inconvenienced.”

People Ifs Home Lost Failing Climate Species Climate Change Driven Destroyed Damage Infrastructure Extinction Ecosystems

Author:David Suzuki

“We no longer see the world as a single entity. We've moved to cities and we think the economy is what gives us our life, that if the economy is strong we can afford garbage collection and sewage disposal and fresh food and water and electricity. We go through life thinking that money is the key to having whatever we want, without regard to what it does to the rest of the world.”

Ifs Thinking World Want Life Giving Doe Strong Water Cities Economy Environment Our Lives Keys Economics Regard Moved Collections Entity Electricity Garbage Fresh Food Sewage

Author: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.”

“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.”

Ifs Giving Mean Two Important War Country States Dies Lines Cities Boys Protect Draws Property Boundaries Our Country County Hoot

Author:David Suzuki

“How do commercial interests usually protect themselves from liability claims? Through insurance. In fact, in our society, the litmus test for safety is insurance. You can be insured for almost anything if you pay enough for the premium, but if the insurance industry isn't willing to bet its money on the safety of [biotechnology], it means the risks are simply too high or too uncertain for them to take the gamble.”

Source: From Naked Ape to Superspecies: Humanity and the Global Eco-Crisis

“If we humans are good at anything, it’s thinking we’ve got a terrific idea and going for it without acknowledging the potential consequences or our own ignorance.”

Ifs Thinking Humans Ideas Ignorance Consequence Terrific Going For It

Book:Everything Under the Sun: Toward a Brighter Future on a Small Blue Planet

Source: Everything Under the Sun: Toward a Brighter Future on a Small Blue Planet

“Because we aren't certain about the effects of GMOs, we must consider one of the guiding principles in science, the precautionary principle. Under this principle, if a policy or action could harm human health or the environment, we must not proceed until we know for sure what the impact will be. And it is up to those proposing the action or policy to prove that it is not harmful.”

Ifs Knows Humans Action Certain Principles Environment Effects Policy Prove Impact Harm Gmos Guiding Principles Human Health

Author: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.”

Ifs Humans Today Earth Dying Tomorrow Improving Ants

Author:David Suzuki

“If we want to move towards a low-polluting, sustainable society, we need to get consumers to think about their purchases.”

Ifs Thinking Want Needs Moving Lows Consumers Eco Eco Friendly

Book:The Big Picture: Reflections on Science, Humanity, and a Quickly Changing Planet

Source: The Big Picture: Reflections on Science, Humanity, and a Quickly Changing Planet

“It is clear that while science provides insights into the complexity of the world around us, those insights...present a fractured mosaic rather than a seamless whole. There are profound limits to science that must be recognized if we are to minimize the destructive consequences of using the powers provided by scientific discovery.”

Ifs World Whole Truth Clear Limits Discovery Consequence Profound Insight Complexity Destructive Scientific Discovery Mosaics Seamless

Author:David Suzuki