Smilin' with Suzuki

Canadians are finally reaching a state where climate change is no longer some lamented, bleeding-hearted battle cry from scheming leftist hippies. Instead, skeptics are finding it tough to argue against the mountains of scientific consensus that says we are indeed heading up “shit creek” without a paddle (and soon without water because the glacial sources are almost gone).

An Angus Reid poll released last week states that 77 percent of Canadians think climate change is real.

Well… duh.

What is going on in the heads of the other half-witted 23 percent? Oh right, they’re from Alberta (Zing! Sorry Albertans, roasting ya’ll is becoming clichéd. You guys deserve more credit… I know ya’ll are doing yer best to find “environmentally friendly” oil out there!)

Issues of sustainability and the environment are on my mind as I recently attended the youth summit Less Talk, More Action featuring keynote speakers David Suzuki and Al Gore.

The afternoon of speeches was inspiring and disturbing; we were beaten over the head with statistics and research on the reality of climate change. Do we need any more reason to act? Do we really need more convincing?

I left the event feeling content to have heard such amazing lectures, but with a big acid rain cloud of bleakness above my head. It is easy to feel discouraged with the current state of the environment and even more so with inept political policy.

Fortunately I have David Suzuki to bring me joy.

It is hard for me to be nonbiased or objective about David Suzuki…. he’s just so darn lovable (in an appreciative Guru sort of way). My (not so) secret fantasy is for us to grab an old, converted bio-diesel VW Westfalia and hit the highway for a two-week, cross-Canada road trip. We sleep under the northern lights, eat breakfasts at small town diners, and he bestows upon me the wisdom that he has acquired over the years. He teaches me the nature of things; I attempt to make him laugh with impersonations of George Bush and Stephen Harper. We’re modern day eco-warriors.

Al Gore can come too, but the minute he has a few shots of corn whiskey and starts talking about “Cow Tipp(er)ing” during his early days in Tennessee, he’ll be hitching his sorry ass back to America.

Speaking of Al Gore, I was actually surprised by the man. I have not yet seen “An Inconvenient Truth” (is that shameful?) and for some reason, I had really expected him to not have an actual personality; his address to the crowd was a mix of comedy act, science lecture, pep talk, and Baptist sermon. I give him kudos for his passion and knowledge, and for generating a movie that has educated the masses. He has taken election-loss-lemons and made organic lemonade.

So after attending Less Talk, More Action, I had the intention to write a passionate column about climate change and individual responsibility, filled with hard hitting statistics and inspiring prose, but I find that the message of environmental decay is becoming tiresome and laced with fear. Do I really need to motivate you to care about climate change?

No. And thank god, the “inspiring prose” idea was a long shot.

Understandably there is reason to be afraid, Suzuki and Gore attested to that; we need to change and we need to change quickly. Fast change requires that we challenge our communities and ourselves.

But how do we deal with the challenge?

When I am sweating in yoga class, trying to twist myself into some unnatural human pretzel, my instructor often says, “When it becomes really uncomfortable, curl up the sides of your mouth”. At that point I remember to breathe and usually release an awkward expression that is somewhere between a smile and a grimace.

When it comes to ecological and economic issues, we need to challenge in order to change. This means challenging our notions of what is a "healthy society", which currently is heavily defined through financial capital. Healthy societies are those where the citizens are physically, financially, spiritually, and socially content.

It will be a beautiful day when we have reestablished a sense of ecological balance, and it will be even greater if we are able to keep our abilities to smile as we go through the inevitable challenges required.

I know that I’ll be smiling because I’ve got David Suzuki on my side.


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You can access the David Suzuki Foundation from the link on the side of this page.

Is it getting hot in here?

A recent Angus Reid poll stated that 77% of Canadians belief that Global Warming is occurring (see article).

Where do you stand on this issue? What advice do you have for Canadians?


The content of this post is your comments.

Finally, a cure...

People have problems. Let's face it, whether it's the nagging pain in your back or your dreaded mother-in-law or the negative balance in your bank account, there's usually something that needs fixing.

For some people the problem is all in their heads. This is a fascinating video glimpse into an intervention that could provide a cure for millions of people. Never give up hope on a cure.

Re: Please do not excuse/exclude yourself...

I appreciate when people leave comments and engage with the subject that has been brought to the table (whether you agree with what I have to say, or not).

Kudos for speaking from the heart...

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I think the notion of 'not seeing skin color' comes from a couple of places, one is as you are suggesting-an inherent part of unexplored/unacknowledged racism, the other comes from people wanting to come from a place of respecting and valuing everyone regardless of the color of skin.

However, I personally feel that if people aren't noticing that my skin is a bit darker than theirs perhaps, then they are not really seeing me for who I am and that doesn't feel good or respectful. Racism has become such an ugly word in our society that as people we become afraid to talk about it.

Let's just acknowledge that we live in a world where skin color comes with a multitude of assumptions/biases and lets look at our assumptions and how we enact those and then perpetuate this thing we call 'racism', and then do as you are suggesting-take some responsibility for changing this.

-Cathy Baylis
[Community worker, painter, healer, aboriginal woman, grandmother]

Please do not excuse/exclude yourself...

“I am not racist.”

I have heard this self-serving proclamation too many times. Each time I question why people feel a need to tell me this. Each time I wonder if people know they are wasting their words with me. Each time I am break into my “actually-you-are-probably-more-racist-than-you-think” rant and attempt to explain why racism is not so black & white (pun definitely intended).

And here I go again.

Despite an increasing cultural sensitivity towards human diversity, racism is a social virus that continues to eat at the spine of our collective human body. Yet I often hear people proclaiming “racist innocence”. There are several reasons why it is pointless to say, “I am not racist”, and why the statement does more damage than good.

Firstly, to say that one is not racist, under the seemingly innocent claim of “I don’t see skin colour”, is a blatant lie (unless of course you are actually blind). When we pretend not to see skin colour, we refuse to acknowledge the realities that individuals experience. To be “colour-blind” denies the lived experiences of people who have actually been marginalized by racist beliefs and policy. We see skin colour. Don’t lie.

Secondly, in our current cultural climate, racist beliefs are increasingly socially unacceptable. Thus to proclaim innocence from any racist beliefs could simply be an individual’s attempt to adhere to social norms. If you tell me you are not racist, I have no idea if you are simply trying to be likeable or if you actually have a deep appreciation for diversity. In trying to create a positive social image for oneself, the statement is as effective as saying, “I don’t kill babies”. My response is, “That’s great, yet it doesn’t actually tell me anything about you.”

Thirdly, despite our movement towards the social unacceptability of racism, it is a prevalent issue in our cultural and political systems. Any claims of non-racism are negated by the fact that we buy into these systems all the time. Whether you are placing an electoral vote, purchasing cheap-labour produced goods, or paying your taxes, you are perpetuating the system – a system that ranks people according to their gender, age, physical abilities and, most definitely, the colour of their skin.

Need more proof? Systemic or “institutional” racism is evident in our primarily “white” parliament, in discriminatory immigration policies, and in the vulnerabilities of aboriginal and other ethnic populations to HIV infection, drug addiction, and suicide rates. We are all part of a system that perpetuates racism, thus we are not individually free of racism.

Finally (and a tangent of my previous point), there is a direct link between consumerism and racism. Why is there a tendency to fill minimum wage jobs with immigrant workers of colour? Why do we out-source so much of our production to overseas nations? Before you drop your next paycheck at your local Wal-Mart, think about how food, clothing, and other goods are produced. Can a person claim to be “un-racist” while supporting businesses that perpetuate poverty through impossibly low wages? Poverty and racism exist inseparably.

The underlying idea that I am hammering home is that we live in a culture with racism engrained into its framework. To say, “I am not racist” is to excuse oneself from acknowledging that systemic racial problems exist. It is not only pointless to proclaim, “I am not racist”, but also damaging. By refusing to recognize one’s individual role and responsibility in adjusting the system, we in turn perpetuate the status quo. We are each a part of the problem, and we can each chose to be part of the solution.

So what can we do? An appreciation for human diversity is communicated through words, but more importantly through actions. Here are some places to start:

• Think about whom you vote and the values of this individual or political party. Will your local representative reflect and honour the diversity of your riding?

• Educate yourself on Canada’s racist history: we have exploited, institutionalized, displaced, and colonized. Don’t deny people of their past; it has huge impact on their realities today (this starts with seeing colour).

• Think about what you buy. Our greatest power is that of a consumer. Who is impacted by my need to have the absolute lowest prices? Move towards responsible and critical consuming.

• Watch what comes out of your mouth (and the mouths of those around you). Are there ways to be humourous without targeting someone’s culture or skin colour?

Instead of wasting words on proclamations of innocence from racism, let’s think about the ways that we can foster inclusion, respect, and appreciation. Change comes slowly, but it starts at the individual level. Your actions will echo.

March 21 is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

I'm different, you're different

In Montreal, and in other places across Canada, Action Week Against Racism has just begun. Various events can be found at inforacisme.com. I'll be checking out the Human Rights Film Festival.

Film can be a powerful way to send a message.

This is a video submitted for the national March 21 Stop Racism campaign. It's from Archwood School in Winnipeg, Manitoba. You can watch more of the videos and get more information about submitting on the Canadian Heritage Website.

Spirituality 101

Warriors (are appreciated)

Interesting, and slightly disturbing, article on cbc.ca this morning which relates to a previous posting on [the little spruce tree]. It is evidence of a current cultural tendency to create shame surrounding female sexuality.

What do you think?

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Vagina Monologues author to address school board over suspension issue

Eve Ensler, writer of The Vagina Monologues, will speak to the school district in New York state where three girls were suspended for using the word "vagina" while performing a section of the play.

Susan Celia Swan, Ensler's assistant, confirmed Friday the writer will speak on Tuesday at a school theatre in the New York city suburb of Cross River just before a meeting of the board of education.

She will appear with the 16-year-old girls who uttered the word — Hannah Levinson, Megan Reback and Elan Stahl — according to school board member Peter Breslin.

John Jay High School Principal Richard Leprine said the three had agreed not to use the word but included it in an excerpt from the play they recited at a school event last week. Leprine suspended the girls for a day each.

Leprine said they had promised not to use the word because there might be young children in the audience. The three say they never made such an agreement and have had an outpouring of support from fellow students and parents.

Ensler responded to news of the suspensions by calling it "a throwback to the Dark Ages" and hailed the girls as "Vagina Warriors."

District Superintendent Bob Lichtenfeld then postponed the suspensions.

Since news broke earlier in the week about the situation, the teens have become anti-censorship icons.

"We did it because we believe in the word vagina, and because we believe it's not a bad word. It shouldn't be a word that is ever censored, and the way in which we used it was respectable," Reback told the New York Times.

(taken from cbc.ca)

plug for this tree

In a lovely twist of fate, after having recently plugged some of my favourite things, a mysterious fellow blogger has written a review of [the little spruce tree]... and I didn't even pay for it!

Check it out on Puck's Prattle.

tree/plugs

The Little Spruce Tree, in many ways, is more an online magazine than an actual blog. As such, I have decided to introduce a regular "Review" section (as you find in most 'zines) where I will share some of the good stuff I have found. If you have suggestions, please feel free to share the good things that you have found.

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[heard] Ray Lamontagne. Every so often I stumble across an album that provides me with the soundtrack to my life (I know it sounds cliché, but it's true). In the past, albums from Sarah Harmer, Travis, Kathleen Edwards, and Damien Rice have been the backdrop to break-ups, roadtrips and relocations. Right now my soundtrack is Till The Sun Turns Black by Ray Lamontagne.

The album gently traverses the lines between folk, rock, and soul under the gentle guidance of Ray's delicate, haunting vocals. The first track, Be Here Now, has become my simple request to remain present in the moments of sitting on a bus, walking down the sidewalk, or cooking in the kitchen. In Can I Stay, Ray sings his vulnerable request to spend the night with his lover..."between your blissfull kisses whisper 'Darling, is this love?'" (sigh) The album ends with Ray strumming his guitar, singing "war is not the answer, the answer is within you". The song, Within You is an unpretentious call for self-exploration, and ultimately the answers are found through one thing...

Ray also does a phenomenal accoustic cover of last summer's crazy big hit "CRAZY" by Gnarles Barkely. It is not on the album, but can be found on youtube


[read] Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures (Vincent Lam). This book has received so much hype since it won the Giller Prize award in November, so I almost hestitate in putting it on the list. But it is a fantastic read, so I don't mind giving it a bit more attention.

"Bloodletting" grants us a glimpse into the intersecting lives of medical students as they deal with exams and relationships and missing body parts. Although generally taking place in clinical settings, the immerging themes stretch far beyond the woes of med-school or the "ER" to universal issues of love, loss, and the currency of the medical field... life.



[seen] Sex and the City (Season One). Nearly 10 years ago four sexy, single women stormed onto our television screens with unapologetic rants about relationships, dating, sex, and love. A collective orgasmic sigh was released across the land. I recently watched the first season again over popcorn and red wine, with many laughs and a couple of tears.

Apart from the cheesy "Carrie talks to the camera" scenes, S&TC: Season One has aged gracefully over the years. I don't know if witnessing people deal with relationships will ever grow old. There is something very comforting in seeing other people become compulsively obsessed with analysing their relationships... it sort of makes me feel, well, less alone.



[experienced] Hot Yoga. I have discovered a holistic workout that actually works for me... cardio, flexibility, and muscle strengthening. There's a great studio down the street where I have been going for the past 6 weeks to stretch myself into different positions and sweat like an Irish man in the outback.

I am trying to resist any references to being labeled a trendy "yuppie", thus shopping sprees at Lululemon will NOT happen. But what can I say? Often things become popular for very good reasons.