TheYoungCan'tWait
塞弗恩·卡利斯·蘇祖基/SevernCullisSuzuki
Whenyouarelittle,it』snothardtobelieveyoucanchangetheworld.Iremembermyenthusiasmwhen,attheageof12,IaddressedthedelegatesattheRioEarthSummit.「Iamonlyachild,」Itoldthem.「YetIknowthatifallthemoneyspentonwarwasspentonendingpovertyandfindingenvironmentalanswers,whatawonderfulplacethiswouldbe.Inschoolyouteachusnottofightwithothers,toworkthingsout,torespectothers,tocleanupourmess,nottohurtothercreatures,toshare,notbegreedy.Thenwhydoyougooutanddothethingsyoutellusnottodo?Yougrownupssayyouloveus,butIchallengeyou,please,tomakeyouractionsreflectyourwords.」
Ispokeforsixminutesandreceivedastandingovation.Someofthedelegatesevencried.IthoughtthatmaybeIhadreachedsomeofthem,thatmyspeechmightactuallyspuraction.Now,adecadefromRio,afterI』vesatthroughmanymoreconferences,I』mnotsurewhathasbeenaccomplished.Myconfidenceinthepeopleinpowerandinthepowerofallindividual』svoicetoreachthemhasbeendeeplyshaken.
Sure,I』veseensomeimprovementssinceRio.InmyhomecityofVancouver,mostpeopleputouttheirrecyclingboxes.ThegroceryandcafeonFourthAvenueisflourishing.Bikesarepopular,andthereareafewgas-electrichybridcarsglidingaround.Butasthisnewcenturybegins,mytwenty-somethinggenerationisbecomingincreasinglydisconnectedfromthenaturalworld.Webuyourdrinkingwaterinbottles.Weeatgeneticallymodifiedorganisms.Wedrivethebiggestcarsever.Atthesametime,weareagenerationawareoftheworld—ofpovertyandsocialimbalance,thelossofbiodiversity,climatechangeandtheconsequencesofglobalization—butmanyofusfeelwehaveinheritedproblemstoogreattodoanythingabout.
WhenIwaslittle,theworldwassimple.Butasayoungadult,I』mlearningthataswehavetomakechoices—education,career,lifestyle—lifegetsmoreandmorecomplicated.Wearebeginningtofeelpressuretoproduceandbesuccessful.Wearelearningashortsightedwayoflookingatthefuture,focusingonfour-yeargovernmenttermsandquarterlybusinessreports.Wearetaughtthateconomicgrowthisprogress,butwearen』ttaughthowtopursueahappy,healthyorsustainablewayofliving.Andwearelearningthatwhatwewantedforourfuturewhenwewere12wasidealisticandnaive.
TodayI』mnolongerachild,butI』mworriedaboutwhatkindofenvironmentmychildrenwillgrowupin.InJohannesburgthedelegateswilldiscusstheadoptionandimplementationofdocumentsbygovernments.Yes,importantstuff.ButtheydidthatatRio.Whatthismeetingmustreallybeaboutisresponsibility—notonlygovernmentresponsibilitybutpersonalresponsibility.Wearenotcleaningupourownmess.Wearenotfacinguptothepriceofourlifestyles.InCanadaweknowwearewipingoutthesalmonoftheWestCoast,justaswewipedoutcodfromtheEastCoast,butwecontinueoverfishing.WekeepdrivingourSUVsinthecity,eventhoughwearestartingtofeeltheeffectsofclimatechange—adirectresultofburningtoomuchfossilfuel.
Realenvironmentalchangedependsonus.Wecan』twaitforourleaders.Wehavetofocusonwhatourownresponsibilitiesareandhowwecanmakethechangehappen.