Advertisement 1

Ryan Reynolds lends voice, levity to new Nature of Things’ take on curbing carbon

Curb Your Carbon, airing Jan. 14 on CBC, outlines things we can do now to fight climate change

Article content

CBC’s The Nature of Things is using a bit of levity and Ryan Reynolds’ voice to remind viewers that when it comes to climate change, we all need to do our part.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content

Airing Jan. 14 at 9 p.m. on CBC and CBC Gem, the new episode called Curb Your Carbon reveals simple, straightforward and most importantly doable ways in which we all can lessen our carbon footprint. And yes, that patented Reynolds sense of humour comes through loud and clear during the Hollywood heavyweight’s narration of the show.

A long-time supporter of environmental causes, the Vancouver native was happy to lend a hand, or in this case his voice, to the show that is usually voiced by David Suzuki.

Article content

“I want my kids to experience some of the things that I got to experience when I was kid,” says Reynolds, the father of three young daughters in a recent release. “I was lucky enough to grow up in British Columbia.  That’s an environmental playground: Mountains, streams, rivers, lakes, skiing, ocean, you name it. So I want my kids to have as much of that as possible.”

Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content

Curb Your Carbon travels the globe to show viewers things that can be done now to help with our future.

While the show points out that raising animals for human consumption produces about seven billion tons of carbon dioxide a year — about 15 per cent of worldwide emissions — we are also reminded that cutting back on one meat meal a week will make a big difference. For some cattle-free culinary tips, the show goes to Vancouver Island for a look at how some creepy crawlers make pretty good crudités, something 2.5 billion people around the globe already know.

“Does that freak you out? It freaks me out,” Reynolds says in the show. “Remember, saving ourselves isn’t for the faint of heart or stomach.”

Ryan Reynolds lends his voice to an episode of The Nature of Things titled Curb Your Carbon. The show will air Jan. 14 at 9 p.m. on CBC and CBC Gem.
Ryan Reynolds lends his voice to an episode of The Nature of Things titled Curb Your Carbon. The show will air Jan. 14 at 9 p.m. on CBC and CBC Gem. Photo by Darren Calabrese /THE CANADIAN PRESS

Other call–to-action situations include a Guelph, Ont., family that steals garbage to help illustrate the incredible amount of food waste for which we are responsible. In case you’re wondering, it’s about 2.2 billion kilos annually across the globe. There’s a classroom of Whitehorse students who learn to fix iPhone screens instead of sending them to the trash heap. A New Zealand rugby team’s lunch acts as a great carbon dioxide explainer. In Kenya, a group of women plant trees and a Montreal man turns plastic waste into stunning visual art.

Advertisement 4
Story continues below
Article content

Curb Your Carbon is written by Liam O’Rinn, who directed it with P.J. Naworynski.

“It was exciting to have Ryan Reynolds narrate this documentary,” Dugald Maudsley, one of the show’s producers, says in a statement. “He’s fought climate change for a long time and earned the cred. Hopefully the message will hit home and inspire people to act.”

dgee@postmedia.com

twitter.com/dana_gee

Recommended from Editorial
  1. Just some of the stars of the new Ian McAllister-directed IMAX documentary Great Bear Rainforest.
    Ryan Reynolds’ rainforest rapture: Hollywood star excited to tell IMAX story that hits close to home
  2. Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds attends the world premiere of Netflix's
    Ryan Reynolds taking career break to spend 'quality time' with children

CLICK HERE to report a typo.

Is there more to this story? We’d like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Email vantips@postmedia.com.

Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Latest National Stories
    News Near Tillsonburg
      This Week in Flyers