Daniel Lanois is an acclaimed musician and record producer, creating career-changing records for Bob Dylan, U2 and Emmylou Harris, among others. By stepping out of the recording studio and returning to the fields of Southern Ontario’s Niagara Escarpment, where he was raised, Daniel has become a food advocate supporting Ontario farmers.
In August 2011, he brought his music connections to the Greenbelt Harvest Picnic in Hamilton, a celebration of local food and music with a line-up of stellar musical acts including Gord Downie, of The Tragically Hip, and Sarah Harmer. For Daniel, the event is a platform for raising awareness about sustainable, healthier food and land preservation in Ontario.
Credits:
Jolie Louise and Still Water written by Daniel Lanois courtesy Red Floor Records
I Am Aglow written by Sarah Harmer courtesy Cold Snap Music
Escarptment Blues written by Sarah Harmer, courtesy of Casablaca Media Publishing
A New Beginning written by Chris Birkett courtesy 2Mounties Media Inc.
Laura Reinsborough encourages us to enjoy the fruits of our own labour by picking fruit from our own neighbourhoods. Eating great tasting locally grown food reduces waste and energy consumption. The average distance food travels from farm to plate is 4,000 kilometres – that’s a whole lot of carbon dioxide and chemicals needed to keep the food “fresh."
Laura founded Not Far From The Tree, an organization that harvests fruit-bearing plants around Toronto – taking the 100-mile diet to a whole new level. A third of the bounty goes to the volunteers, a third goes to the owner of the tree and a third goes to local shelters, preventing thousands of pounds of fruit from going to waste each year.
As global food demand is projected to increase by 70% by 2050, the amount of land suitable for food production is likely to decrease due to pressures from other uses and climate change. Not Far From the Tree (NFFTT) is addressing this problem by helping to capture and provide to our cities local food that would otherwise be wasted and is healthier, tastier, and better for the environment.
David Suzuki has graced our television screens and airwaves for more than 30 years. Through his tireless journalistic work he brings us stories of the world around us and awareness of the issues that threaten to destroy it. His prolific career has seen him take on the roles of Canadian academic, science broadcaster and environmental activist. His mission is to get people everywhere to examine the way they live and what our actions mean for the life and health of our environment.
Dr. Suzuki is the recipient of the Order of Canada (as an Officer and as a Companion), the Order of British Columbia, UNESCO’s Kalinga. Prize for science and a long list of other Canadian and international awards. Despite these honours, he has never shied away from openly criticizing governments the world over for their lack of action to protect the environment and to bring attention to issues such as global warming, cleaner energy practices and sustainability.
"What You Can Do"
1. See what is happening locally with The David Suzuki Foundation. There are opportunities to volunteer in communities all over, so get up and get going. davidsuzuki.org
3. Explore the Climate Atlas of Canada, which combines climate science, mapping and storytelling to bring the global issue of climate change closer to home. climateatlas.ca
5. Watch: The Nature of Things is Dr. Suzuki’s long-running television show that can be seen on CBC. Enjoy the stories from around the globe and find out how our world is changing and what we can do to help. cbc.ca/natureofthings/
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