COMING CLEAN

David Eby - Lawyer and acting executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, fighting for our right to be green, loud, and proud. - davideby.blogspot.com

by Erica Gehrke

Photo: The Blackbird

If Gregor Robertson walked through your door, you’d show him... my “Gregor Robertson is no. 1 for enforcing the Standards of Maintenance Bylaw” tattoo. I got it to guilt him into a really important policy change for low-rent buildings in the Downtown Eastside. Feeling some regret about it, because I don’t even know if he’s coming over. At least it’s timeless.

The best gift you’ve ever received is... a small statue of a lawyer from my dad, the inscription of which reads, “Sue the Bastards.” Sat on his desk forever; now it’s on mine.

Sometimes you just can’t resist a little... air travel. Sigh, I know. Please, spare me the stats and get me a high-speed train already so I can visit my peeps in Hali and T-Dot without melting the ice caps.

Would you take it all off for PETA? Damn straight. They may, however, ask for me to put it all back on. “Um, Mr. Eby, we’re all right for volunteers right now. Also, this is the PETA lunchroom.”

The one thing you desire to do in a more committed way is... recycle. No matter how I try, I can’t shake the feeling it’s just busy work while the government plunders the planet for their corporate friends. Honestly, I am fun at parties.

Street people: your thoughts on putting money in their cups. Giving change is OK, but making change is more important. I just made that up—not bad.

If your body is a temple… someone should tell those pigeons living in the rafters to take it outside.

You once threw a pop can in the garbage rather than recycling it because... I knew someone would pick it up and be glad to find it. This is Vancouver after all.

In 2040 Vancouver will look... like either a corporate retail chain and vacant investor condo wasteland, or a vibrant, green, progressive city full of diverse communities that are equally valued. Some days I’m just so torn between the two.

Your biggest eco-blunder is... thinking that recycling plastic makes it OK.

Your greatest eco-achievement is... being a vegetarian for 16 years. Whew.

—Erica Gehrke