Environmental campaigner and renowned Canadian science broadcaster David Suzuki. He learned to value nature and human reliance on it after being born into a Japanese-Canadian family that suffered terribly during World War Two. According to him, conservation is essential to the continued existence of humankind. He has made an effort to educate the general public through his radio and television shows. He helped everyone realize how important it is to live in harmony with nature. Global warming, hazardous pollution, climate change, and carbon footprint have all become topics of national policy for many nations. He expressed his opinions on both the advantages and the ethical issues it raised as a genetic science expert. In the US, his writings on genetics are required reading. He has been outspoken on a number of national problems in Canada, such as the xenophobic immigration policy and the rights of indigenous people. He also promoted the necessity to preserve a balance between technical advancement and sustainable ecology through print media. This broadcaster and environmentalist, who has won numerous awards and accolades, is well-known in his home nation. Several of the causes that are dear to his heart have been supported by his foundation.
Early Childhood & Life
In Vancouver, Canada, Setsu Nakamaru and Kaoru Carr Suzuki gave birth to twins, one of them was David Suzuki. He has two other siblings, Geraldine and Dawn, in addition to his identical twin sister Marcia.
His father was assigned to work in a Solsqua labor camp in 1942 when the family was detained in a camp at Slocan in the interior of British Columbia.
His family relocated to Islington, Learnington after the Second World War ended in 1945, and he attended Mill Street Elementary School and Learington High School there. Here, his father sparked his interest in environmental sciences.
He started attending London Central Secondary School after the family moved to London, Ontario. His election as president of the Students’ Council by an overwhelming margin speaks to his popularity.
He received his biology degree from Amherst College in Massachusetts in 1958, where he developed a passion for the study of genetics. Three years later, he earned his Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Chicago.
Career of David Suzuki
In 1963, he was appointed a professor in the University of British Columbia’s Genetics Department. He spent his academic career utilizing fruit flies as a paradigm for genetic studies.
In 1970, he made his television debut with the kids’ show Suzuki on Science. The host’s area of expertise, genetics, was reflected in the first few episodes of the show, while later ones covered various topics.
He was the host of the “Quirks & Quarks” program on CBC AM radio in 1974. The host of the program interviewed scientists, and a group of scientists responded to queries from the audience.
He served as the anchor of the weekly television program “Science Magazine,” which catered to adults, from 1975 until the end of the decade. Interviews, scientific updates, and segments like “How Things Work” were also included.
He has been the host of the CBC television program “The Nature of Things” since 1979. The initiative aims to raise public awareness of the threats to wildlife and the advantages of renewable energy.
For the Discovery Channel in 1997, he created the program “Yellowstone to Yukon: The Wildlands Project,” which was based on naturalist David Foreman’s initiative to create buffer zones surrounding sizable wild areas in order to preserve ecological variety.
His book, “Genethics: The Conflict between the New Genetics and Human Values,” was published in 1990 with the intention of educating the general public about contemporary genetic technology and the numerous ethical concerns it raises.
It’s a Question of Survival, a book he co-wrote with Anita Gordon, was released in 1991. His 2007 book, “The Sacred Balance,” emphasizes how dependent humans are on the planet’s natural resources and predicts how society and the environment will be in 50 years, and offers solutions to change it. On the basis of the book, several documentaries have also been produced.
Bigger Works of David Suzuki
A world for the Taking, a David Suzuki television series from 1985, called for a significant change in how people view the environment. An estimated 1.8 million viewers per episode watched each episode of this well-regarded sitcom.
The 2006 book “David Suzuki: The Autobiography” chronicles his life from his early years to his current fame. For four weeks, it topped the Canadian non-fiction bestsellers list published by Maclean’s.
Recognition & Achievements
In 1976, David Suzuki received the “Order of Canada.” It is given in appreciation for remarkable achievement, ability, service, or contributions to both Canada and humanity.
He received the “Order of British Columbia” in 1995, a civilian distinction bestowed by the government of British Columbia to recognize its citizens for notable accomplishments in any profession.
In 1986, he received the ‘Kalinga Award’ from UNESCO for popularizing science. The prize is presented for outstanding proficiency in explaining complex scientific concepts to non-scientists.
Among a group of 10 candidates, viewers of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s television program “The Greatest Canadian” chose him as the “Five Greatest Canadian” in 2004.
He received the “International Human Rights Award” from “Global Exchange,” a San Francisco-based advocacy organization, in 2007. The organization’s goal is to advance both environmental justice and human rights.
He received the “Honorary Right Livelihood Award,” often known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize,” in 2009 for his efforts to find workable and admirable solutions to the most pressing problems the world is currently experiencing.
Personal Legacy & Life
David Suzuki is the father of five children: two from his current wife Tara Elizabeth Cullis, whom he married in 1972, and three from his first wife, high school sweetheart Setsuko Joane Sunahara.
He established “The David Suzuki Foundation,” a nonprofit organization with its main office in Vancouver, Canada, in 1991 to work toward achieving a balance between human demands and the ability of the world to support life.
David Suzuki’s Net Worth
Trivia
“We’re in a gigantic automobile driving towards a brick wall and everyone’s fussing over where they’re going to seat,” said one well-known broadcaster and environmentalist.
This well-known environmentalist admires Nelson Mandela, the South African anti-apartheid rebel and former president of South Africa, as well as Rachel Carson, an American marine biologist and conservationist.