Prominent Canadians Weigh In: Kyle Turris
A native of Westminster, B.C., Kyle Turris of the Edmonton Oilers has played 13 NHL seasons since being drafted third overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in 2007. Kyle and his wife, Julie, have three young children and love nothing more than to get them outside playing. Kyle and Julie have always been community-minded, especially where children’s causes are concerned. In the spring of 2017, while with the Ottawa Senators, Kyle scored an overtime winning goal in the Stanley Cup playoffs and famously rushed out of the arena as fast as he could so he and Julie could attend the year-end banquet of a special-needs hockey team called the Capital City Condors. Kyle was the team's honorary captain. The Condors mobbed him and chanted his name as he entered the room.
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Photo Credit: Tuomas Vitikainen ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
What early life experiences triggered your interest in climate issues?
Since I was a young child, my family has gone camping every summer. We really enjoyed being outdoors and I look forward to continuing this tradition with my own wife and kids now. Realizing everyone has a role to play in working towards a healthier planet is important if we wish to enjoy what it has to offer with our kids, them with their kids, and so on.
What worries you most about where we are at with the climate emergency?
What worries me most about the current state of the climate emergency is how many people don’t view this as a significant problem because they either don’t believe the science or don’t care about the long-term effects.
What green lifestyle change have you and your family started because of the pandemic?
My wife has replaced all containers with either compostable or reusable ones. We eat less red meat. Our vehicle barely gets used.
What green lifestyle change are you finding most difficult to take on?
I haven't found any of the three listed above all the difficult.
When you feel discouraged about the environment, do you find that listening to music helps? If so, what music do you listen to?
I don't get overly discouraged about the environment, it's more like I feel the need to make a conscious effort to do my part in contributing to a healthier planet. I have not listened to music due to my views on climate change.
If a young relative were to ask you in five years' time "what did you do when the climate was tanking," what will you say?
I'd say I researched the topic and tried to find ways I could help contribute to the solution.
What gives you hope about the future of the climate and life on this planet?
What gives me hope is all the bright minds we have in the world, many of whom are very young, that understand the severity of the situation and are working together to create change. Great Thunberg being one of them.