David Suzuki has had a huge affect on Canada’s society, let alone the
world as a whole. At the beginning of this past year, David began travelling across Canada when he created the “If you were Prime Minister” tour. The tour
started in St. John’s, Newfoundland on February 1st
2007 and ended on February 28th 2007 in Vancouver, British Columbia. He passed through 50 cities, making it the largest tour in his career.
During each of the stops, David talked to all those in that community who chose to come and hear him speak. Then, in turn,
he also listened to what the community thought about the environment (both positive and negative). His goal was to take Canadian
citizen’s ideas about our current environment to Ottawa.
This was to ensure that everyone’s voice was heard by our government.
Throughout the “If you were Prime
Minister” tour, David Suzuki and his crew also went carbon neutral. This means that they created little or none greenhouse
gas emissions to harm the environment. Instead they offset what they did use with wind farms, energy efficient projects, and
solar installations to conserve energy. The David Suzuki Foundation continues to use environment-friendly products during
their business operations. They also constantly try to find ways to reduce their impact on the environment even more.
Through this tour, David Suzuki was
helping to create awareness about three things. The first was our how our past environment has affected the present environment.
The second was what the environment looks like now. And the third was how our present actions will affect our environment
in the future. David is helping each community become more vocal about how they
feel about the environment, and political their values. Many people feel that they have no voice in our current world today.
The other thought is that politicians don’t speak enough for their community or for the environment in general. So by
creating and conducting this tour, he is allowing people to be a leader like him by sharing their own opinions. He is inspiring
people to stand up for what they feel is wrong. David is guiding the world onto a more environmental path.
And this tour didn’t only impact
Canada’s society. The “If you were Prime Minister” tour David Suzuki did also influenced the education field and
business world as well. Both students and staff alike would have probably discussed the nature of the tour at some point if
they were aware of it or if it was passing through their city. Some schools might have prepared a class trip to listen to
him speak and to share their opinions they have about the environment with him. On the other hand, businesses might have wanted
to voice their successes with him with an energy efficient business operation. They also might have wanted to ask questions
on how to make their business more environmentally-friendly.
By running the “If you were Prime
Minister” tour, David Suzuki has impacted our society, but has also influenced our business world and education field
as well. He has allowed people to become more vocal about environmental politics.
David has also made some businesses or school communities question what they do to the environment. It is allowing them to
have a voice in the way their city is run, for some it may be the first time. So there is only one question left for you to answer…What
would you do for the environment if you were Prime Minister?
