It’s no great sacrifice to protect the environment

Written by Dr David Suzuki

I recently read an article about a woman in Spokane, Washington, who doesn’t like phosphate-free dishwashing detergents. Phosphate-containing detergents are banned in Spokane County because of their negative impact on the environment, so the woman drives 45 minutes to Idaho where phosphate detergents are still sold. The article also notes that the woman has a five-year-old daughter. I’m astounded.

People often argue that protecting the environment will require too many sacrifices. Is this what they mean? That they would risk their children’s futures because they can’t be bothered to rinse their dishes before putting them into the dishwasher?

Phosphates are added to cleaning products because they help cut grease and get rid of food particles on dishes. But they also have enormous negative impacts on rivers, streams, and lakes. By fertilizing the waters, phosphates can cause massive algae blooms that starve the water of oxygen and choke aquatic ecosystems, killing fish, amphibians, insects, and plants. Phosphates have been banned from laundry detergents in most places for a number of years now, but consumers have resisted moves to ban them from dishwashing detergents.

The article notes that the Spokane River is one of the most endangered in the U.S. and that phosphate pollution from the county’s main wastewater treatment plant has been reduced by 14 per cent since the dishwasher-detergent law was passed in July. But apparently this woman doesn’t care if the river is devoid of life when her daughter grows up – as long as her dishes are spot-free!

Lubicon struggle shines light on regulatory failures in Canada's oil and gas industry

Written by Dr David Suzuki Friday, 31 October 2008 14:07

Consensus is growing that the failure of governments to effectively regulate the banking sector is largely responsible for the huge economic mess we’re now facing. Throughout the past few decades, those who were entrusted to protect the public interest have accepted as gospel the idea that governments should get out of the way and let markets self regulate, with disastrous results.

Let’s speak up for the country we want

Written by Dr David Suzuki Thursday, 30 October 2008 14:24

We’ve just had our federal election and, if nothing else, the environment did become an issue. Unfortunately, global warming and other environmental issues were overshadowed by an economic crisis and, no doubt, by the fear people have of the word tax, so much so that they didn’t notice the word cuts was also in there.

Now it’s up to all of us to make sure the environment doesn’t get lost in all the noise about the economy. The new government has some important choices to make in the near future.

When mammals are threatened, we are threatened

Written by Dr David Suzuki Wednesday, 29 October 2008 14:32

We humans sometimes forget that we are animals. We’re mammals, and like all mammals, and indeed all animals, we are connected to and dependent on the web of life. When part of that web is in danger, we are all in danger.

And our mammal cousins are in danger. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, one quarter of the world’s 5,487 known mammalian species face extinction in 30 years if we don’t act now to protect them. This includes many of the planet’s apes and monkeys; bears such as polar bears, sun bears, and pandas; and dozens of marine mammals, such as sei and fin whales.