Greener pastures: La Ronge eco-conference giving students eco tips

Students at Churchill Community High School in La Ronge are playing host to northern students this weekend for the first ever Northern Saskatchewan Student Environmental Conference.

The conference will see students from nearby LaLoche, Sandy Bay,Pinehouseand other communities converge on LaRongeover two days.

Students will attend various workshops at the conference andget together to brainstorm an idea which fits their respective communities based on the information they've learned. Using that information, the groups present their idea and take it back to the community.

Lead organizer Melissa Cromarty said she hopes the conference inspires theyouth to push for environmental progressand pass the knowledge down to younger students.

"The more that students get involved and buy into this, the more likely they will then carry those actions and those attitudes into their adult life and hopefully help to make things better in this world that has gotten so messed up over the years,"Cromartysaid.

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"Hopefullyby the end of the school yearwe'll see several successful projects or at least learning experiences happening in each of the communities," Cromarty said.

The idea for a conference had been developing over the last few years, she said.

Students at the school often recycle, garden and compost, including digging through the trash for recyclable containers.

"We want to keep as much as we can out of the landfill site," she said.