Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high

Reading Rainbow!! todays reading rainbow book is...

Inventing the Future: Reflections on Science, Technology and Nature by David Suzuki

In this book, Suzuki discusses issues such as ethics and morals in science, animal rights, genetics and society, pros and cons of technology, science and military (which he calls an “unholy alliance”), the war between economics and ecology, environmental issues (de-forestation being a large topic), politics and the environment, science education in elementary to university, and alternate world views such as aboriginal ideology.

Obviously he is speaking through his bias as an environmentalist, but Dr. Suzuki is also a scientist (geneticist), and an educator. He understands that we have become complicit in our destruction. We are stuck in a cycle of mass consumerism and mass waste, unable and possibly unwilling to change because we have already invested so much of our life in a certain path. He talks about the subtle relationships found within many issues but he also states that often economics and politics are blind to these subtleties and only ask what is profitable.

He proposes that change must be made in the way we view our relationship to nature, in that we are not above it, but part of the Earth and its symbiotic cycles. We must realize that clean air, water, forests, and wildlife is priceless and cannot be reduced to monetary value as economics would like us to believe. (I love the part when he talks about breaking down humans into base components, and that we could be sold for a few hundred dollars each. Is that really all human life is worth? The answer is no.) He has hope that if we teach our children to love nature (bugs included), rather than fear or abhor nature,then the future leaders of our world will choose technologies that will not harm the Earth- if there is anything left.

this is a grossly condensed blurb of the book, don't take my word for it, read it yourself! Its an easy read, but it is smart, funny, and thought provoking. If you like to read his newspaper column, you'll enjoy this book as it is in the same writing style.


I found this book at the Regina Public Library, and right now it is on the display shelf in front of the Dunlop Art Gallery. One of the best perks of my job is the time to read and stock the display shelf with books that pertain to the show (this show is about economics and ecology). Right now I am stocking it with books about global warming (pro and con), environmental issues, how to save the planet, books about reducing, reusing, and recycling, books about environmentally friendly products, eco heroes, and on and on and on. If nothing else, this is a way for me to spread the word, that we can make changes to our life styles that really isn't much of an effort.