ToxIN and ToxOUT Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie

This month, we talk about Environmental Toxins and we start off the series by talking with authors Bruce Lourie and Rick Smith.

Bruce and Rick are amongst some of Canada’s leading environmental thinkers and have co-authored the books, Toxin, Toxout: Getting Harmful Chemicals Out of Our Bodies and Our World, and the best-seller Slow Death by Rubber Duck.

Bruce is well known for his work in convening large collaborative efforts among businesses, NGOs and government that achieve significant change. Examples include the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement, the world’s largest conservation effort, and his pioneering role in connecting environmental issues to human health, most notably the shutdown of coal-fired power plants in Ontario, the single largest climate action in Canada. 

From 2003 to 2012 Rick was Executive Director of Environmental Defence Canada, where he spearheaded the successful effort to get Canada to become the first country in the world to ban the toxic chemical BPA in baby bottles. Rick lives in Toronto with his wife and their two young sons where he spends most of his time driving kids to soccer.