Elders and the Environment

“Elders are not ‘senior citizens’ who get gold watches at retirement, move to the sunbelt to play cards, shuffleboard and bingo ad nauseam.  They are wisdom keepers who have an ongoing responsibility for maintaining society’s well being and safeguarding the health of our ailing planet Earth.”  ---  (From Age-ing to Sage-ing)

As the Baby boomers turn sixty they face years of healthy living in relative security with no fixed agenda.  Theodore Rozak, who defined the “counter-culture” of the 60s, has turned his attention to the impact aging boomers will have as they retire from the culture they helped to create. In “The Making of an Elder Culture” he argues that there is “unfinished business.” A generation of activist elders with time, money, passion and experience will have a more profound impact on our planetary health than the ghettoed  geezers portrayed in the retirement plan ads.

Monday, November 9^th , the Suzuki Elders host a forum on “Elders and the Environment” to look at the particular role “elders” can play in addressing the critical environmental issues. “Eldership” is found in most cultures particularly indigenous ones but also applies to contemporary society. Though age does not necessarily bring wisdom, it can bring an opportunity to see things from a broader perspective with affection that reaches across generations. “For the grandchildren” is a byword of environmental action.

More information on the “Elders and the Environment” forum can be found at: www.davidsuzuki.org/eldersforum09