<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><img apple-inline="yes" id="3111B60D-24C4-47C1-B0DD-88B4DDF160F5" height="359" width="359" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" style="float: left;" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D29395.A3ADEB20" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">March 3, 2017 <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">To my friends and allies, far and near, <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Many of you knew <b class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 112, 192);" class="">Tooker Gomberg</span></b>. If you did, I know you miss him. It’s still unimaginable that we lost him 13 years ago today – our dear friend, comrade, mentor. And the earth lost a skilled warrior. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">I often ask myself “<span style="color: rgb(0, 112, 192);" class="">What would Tooker do?” </span>I imagine he would be taking on the many crises we’re facing today with fierce courage and creative brilliance, like he always did, always sacrificing. No one could fill his shoes.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Don’t you wish he was around to see the fruits of his labour? Bike lanes, recycling, composting, green energy, conservation, green buildings – so much progress has been made in the last 13 years that would make him smile. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">In Tooker’s honor, I’ll share with you some links. Enjoy.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 38.25pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Symbol;" class="">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';" class=""> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Listen to the song written by Mike Ford after Tooker’s passing: <u class=""><a href="http://greenspiration.org/tooker-le-monde-a-bicyclette-song/" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">Tooker, Le Monde à Bicyclette</a></u> (click the black bar to the left of 00:00)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 38.25pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Symbol;" class="">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';" class=""> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Read Tooker’s <u class=""><a href="http://greenspiration.org/letter-to-an-activist-earth-day-2002/" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">Letter to An Activist</a></u>. He wrote it during his first depression (of 2). It contains lessons for us all, and reminds us how vulnerable we all are, and how to take care of ourselves and each other.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 38.25pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Symbol;" class="">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';" class=""> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Tooker was a prolific environmental writer. Browse his <u class=""><a href="http://greenspiration.org/tooker/tookers-collected-writings/" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">articles</a></u> from all around the world.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 38.25pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Symbol;" class="">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';" class=""> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">View a <u class=""><a href="http://greenspiration.org/tooker/slideshow-tooker/" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">slide show</a></u> of him.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 38.25pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Symbol;" class="">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';" class=""> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Watch the trailer (4:52 min.) for <a href="http://greenspiration.org/election-2000/" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">Playing with Democracy</a>, a video documentary of the Gomberg for Mayor campaign in Toronto, 2000 (he came 2<sup class="">nd</sup> to the incumbent!).</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 38.25pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Symbol;" class="">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';" class=""> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Read the tabloid I wrote following his death. It’s called <u class=""><a href="http://greenspiration.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/DEweb.pdf" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">Depression Expression – raising questions about antidepressants.</a></u> Tooker suffered from depression but was not suicidal until after beginning his antidepressant. Rather than take him off the drug, his doctor doubled the dosage, again and again. Just 4 weeks into drug therapy – suffering with akathesia, or agitation, a recognized side effect of antidepressant drugs – he took his own life. Many suffer with similar adverse effects </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;" class="">–</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -18pt;" class=""> know the risks. </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 38.25pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Symbol;" class="">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman';" class=""> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Read the heart breaking <u class=""><a href="http://greenspiration.org/tooker/memorial/" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">eulogies</a></u> to this beloved man.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Aside from being a great activist and writer, did you know Tooker was a harmonica player, a juggler and puppeteer, educator, film maker and photographer? <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Here’s a story I love. Once on a road trip, the moving van we were driving sported a large military advert on the side. Tooker bought some water based paint and began painting a large peace sign over the ad. The cops came thinking he was a vandal. Tooker defended his action (in French!), the cop watched him paint, and then left the scene. Tooker had convinced the cop that he was doing the right thing.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Do you have a Tooker story that you would share with me? <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Peace to you, and <span style="color: rgb(0, 112, 192);" class="">RIP Tooker</span>…<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">-angela</span></div></body></html>