The Essence of Larry Onisto
Good Sense of Humour ~ Curious ~ Intuitive ~ Reflective ~ Grateful Passionate
Photo: Larry Onisto - 80 year old Sturgeon
I first met Larry shortly after we started a local business association, The Lakeview Business Association. I was the first Chair, and Larry was the Community Relations Manager for the Ontario Hydro Lakeview Generation Plant. He was an environmental scientist specializing in fisheries.
We clicked on many levels, with me at the foundational level of whatever we discussed and Larry on another plane with his knowledge and background. While I was learning about nations' environmental footprints, Larry co-authored an analysis paper titled “National Natural Capital Accounting with the Ecological Footprint Concept.”
I knew trees had rings; he used various methods to tell a story with the tree “cookies” and had access to cross-sections from different trees. Some of the cookies were hundreds of years old. Larry would work his magic on the cookie, raise the rings, and then make a print suitable for framing. I took pictures of bees while Larry managed ten beehives and harvested their honey.
Given our similarities, we got along like a house on fire. We would go to our favourite coffee shop and vent—Larry about his work and me about mine. We never resolved anything, but we knew it was a safe space to express ourselves.
Interestingly, it was before cellphones; if my staff were looking for me, they suspected that I had escaped the office and was with Larry; they would make calls to three places – Freddie’s Deli, where Freddie and I did not resolve any of the world’s problems. Rosa’s Coffee shop, where Larry and I did not resolve any of the world’s problems. The final call was to Josy’s bridal dress shop, where Josy made the best Espresso; ironically, we didn’t solve any of the world’s problems.
We also had great conversations about life and the stages we all go through. We discussed the human journey and trials and tribulations. Once again, we never did resolve, but we became more aware as we absorbed valuable life lessons.
Larry was also an avid birder and took me on private birding excursions in the Hydro property. Once, he arranged for me to go on the roof of the building to take pictures of the Peregrine Falcons. We got busted the second time going up, and I wasn’t allowed – something about safety concerns, climbing stairwells and walking on the roof issues. Who knew?
Dodging a Peregrine Falcon on the roof of the power plant 40 stories up.
Another walk along the Lakefront Promenade Park produced one of my most fortunate images. A female Swan, “Pen,” was sitting on a nest. She was guarding day-old cygnets and keeping them warm. Eventually, she stood up and gave us a magnificent view of the cygnets.
You may have read that I was the first Canadian to join a now global think tank called Nazrudin Project. This collective of like-minded professionals deals with people and their money stories. We do not have one common background. There are therapists, authors, and primarily financial planners who are more concerned about what the person needs than just doing an essential data-gathering exercise and then selling a product.
When we gather, there is no advance agenda. Instead, we collectively determine topics—sometimes, it is someone about to publish a book; other times, a course or a specific subject near and dear to the person introducing it.
When I hosted the first gathering outside the USA in Canada, I invited Larry. He spoke about nations' ecological footprints. Eighteen years later, people who attended his 2006 presentation still discuss it. His passion for the subject energizes those who listen to him.
The link below will take you to the article:
https://www.footprintnetwork.org/content/uploads/2021/03/ecological-footprints-nations-1997.pdf
When you read Larry’s answers, you will realize he has a rare intellect that genuinely understands our world. More importantly, what are we doing to this little planet of ours? I will always be grateful for the depth of his wisdom and how much he cares.
The first picture with the new lens. Taken at Lakeview Generating Station during a private drive on the property.
What has been your biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?
I have spent most of my adult life working on environmental and sustainability issues, striving to address the growing discord between human activity and the natural world that sustains us. Critical ecological challenges, well-documented by science and underscored by repeated warnings backed by overwhelming evidence, indicate that Earth cannot sustain us at these current levels of exploitation; yet, this has failed to stir humanity’s sense of alarm or urgency. A relevant response must match the scale of effort and common purpose not seen since World War II. What is at stake here is our evolutionary relevance.
The greatest challenge in my life was understanding the meaning of the serenity prayer in an ecological and evolutionary context. It simply means being at peace with and accepting the things I cannot change, having the courage and passion to change the things I can, and possessing the wisdom to know the difference. It is realizing and accepting that the planet is not at risk; humanity faces jeopardy. We lack the power to save or destroy the earth. However, we might have had the power to save ourselves if our modern material human nature had not compromised us. Despite our best efforts, I accept that this will be our path forward, and I am at peace with the outcome. Life will continue without us if need be.
At some time, you reached a fork in the road. At that time, it did not feel like it, but looking back, you realize that was a big moment. One that changed your life. Describe yours.
The fork in the road. Sometimes, you get so caught up in the role you play out in your life, caught up in a script of your own, making you forget what is essential until you are abruptly reminded by your mortality or that of those close to you, that life is so very short, and we only get one run through. It sounds so cliché until that reminder gets close and personal. We are so easily distracted by what we do. We throw all our energy into the effort until we become more like humans doing…. not human beings. I lost my life partner just as we were about to retire. It radically shook my sensibility of what was truly important in living a meaningful life. You can place all your energy in whatever you do -save the planet, pursue wealth and success, etc. But if it robs you of the time to live a meaningful life with loved ones, time for friendships, new experiences and opportunities to expand self-knowledge and awareness of the world and your place in it – then we may be getting it wrong.
Mary Lake
What is one gem you learned on your journey that you would love to share? Alternatively, what hint would you tell a younger version of yourself?
The most essential thing in our lives is to be grateful for the meaningful human relationships we share with others—those with our families and close old friends. Ultimately, it is not about how much money we make or how much power we have. It’s about how we influence all the lives we touch in positive and meaningful ways, accepting the things we cannot change, changing those things we can for the better, and being wise enough to know the difference.
I would tell a younger me the most important words ever uttered were by the Oracle at Delphi, who said Know thyself, and thy not need to know anymore.
