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Started in 2004, the G.R.E.E.N. (Global action, Respect, Environmental sustainability, Education, Now!) Conference was created by students to raise awareness among students about environmental issues. This year, over 100 students arrived at St. Clement's School on Saturday, April 14-with travel mugs and cloth napkins for the litter-less breakfast-to take part in the conference, consisting of a keynote speaker and two information/discussion sessions.

The keynote speaker, Laura Denison, an alumna of St. Clement's School, is working as legal counsel for the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, specializing in Aboriginal and environmental law. She is currently taking a leave of absence from her counsel position to complete her PhD in theatre and film. Her dissertation will focus on the interplay between the aesthetic and environmental issues in Canadian theatre and film. In her address to the students, Laura talked about the importance of gaining an aesthetic appreciation for our environment to instill a desire to protect and preserve it.

Following the keynote speaker, students broke into groups led by a number of session speakers, including the Manager of Communications for Zerofootprint, the founder of Naturopack, an organization that advocates for the use and promotion of environmentally responsible packaging; the Communications Manager for Environmental Defence, and other environmental activists. Each group enjoyed spirited discussions of environmental topics. It was an inspiring morning with a compelling take-home message: our generation can make a difference!