About half way into the conference a man came and put us in groups that represented different countries. He showed us the amount of people who are starving and are dying. And he showed us the amount of people who are lucky to have internet, two cars, and a house. There was only one out of 65 people who actually got all of that. People have to juggle two jobs because they are poor, and there are people who have everything they could ever want.

  Also, at the conference they showed us a video called “World on Fire” by Sarah McLaughlan and that video made us feel and think about how we could change the world!

  The Unite to Change conference offers both students and teachers a unique opportunity of discussing topics around the theme of sustainability. Not only has my world view been challenged, but I have walked away with a renewed inspiration that the small things that I do really can make a difference!

  Some highlights for me included the morning tai chi movements, a key note speaker and the scavenger hunt to the Forks market. As we discuss issues around consumerism that are connected to sustainability, we are learning that healthy habits are becoming more important.  Chuck Hopkins (of York University and UNESCO) led the students in an activity where they represented certain percentages of people from around the world that had certain amenities. Perhaps the most shocking figure for me was that only 1 student out of the 65 had access to internet (within their homes), went on to post-secondary education and came from families with two cars. The scavenger hunt to the Forks Market with groups of students and teachers from different schools was both practical and exciting. We learned that the Forks is now a geothermal building, that they support different cultural groups and that companies like Tall Grass Prairie are buying from local farmers to support our economy and sustainable lifestyles.

  This conference has not only inspired me to look at my own habits, but has prompted me to share my learning with many others. I hope that we will begin to look practically and seriously at issues like sustainability, so that the vision of “enough for all forever” can become more of a reality.