Coming Clean

Guy Dauncey - Author, founder of the B.C. Sustainable Energy Association, publisher of EcoNews earthfuture.com , guydauncey.com

by Erica Gehrke

On an eco-scale from 1-10, you’d rate yourself a.. 7. Still a ways to go.

If David Suzuki came over, you would not want him to see ... my roof—because I haven’t installed solar PV [photovoltaic] and solar hot water yet.

The most difficult sacrifice you’ve made to lessen your carbon footprint is I don’t recall any being difficult, though if I had no eco-conscience I might have flown to lots of exotic holidays.

The easiest sacrifice you’ve made to lessen your carbon footprint is being vegetarian, riding my bike, wearing a sweater.

Sometimes you just can’t resist a little ... TV, especially a good historical drama set in the past, where I don’t need to do anything to change the world.

Would you take it all off for PETA? Why not? My primary reason for not eating meat for 40 years is to avoid [inflicting] killing and pain, which so many animals suffer at our hands.

Your dream ride is cycling down the hill from Hurricane Ridge, 3,000 metres above Port Angeles. Cycling up would be less of a dream.

The last purchase you’re proud of is my second-hand bike. It gives me all the speed I need, and nobody bothers to steal it.

The last purchase you’re not so proud of is buying gas. I co-founded the Victoria Car Share Co-op in 1996, but we live out of town and need our own vehicle.

You once threw a pop can in the garbage rather than recycling it because honest, Officer, it wasn’t me! The habit is that strong; it would be like jumping off a cliff.

Who is the world’s sexiest eco-warrior? Kenya’s Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement, winner of the 2004 Nobel Prize for Peace. Her biography, Unbowed, is amazing.

The most annoying thing about the green movement is... The negativity that some greens indulge in—and the self-righteousness.

Your biggest eco-blunder is... years of fast driving—when I was younger.