Government needs to encourage the younger generation to live off the land ¿ that was the key message at a meeting on global warming last night.

The public forum, organised by sustainable development group Greenrock, interspersed conversation with clips from Al Gore's Oscar-winning documentary on climate change 'An Inconvenient Truth'.

And 'Bermuda's Inconvenient Truth' saw a lively exchange of innovative ideas among the audience themselves on the small everyday measures we can all take to help reduce global warming.

One of the main concerns however, was the reliance of the Island on imported foods, and some said Government should be doing more to encourage sustainable farming.

Greenrock founder and president Erin Moran said: "Bermuda does not even have an agriculture department at the moment and this really needs to be addressed. We've reached peak oil in 2004 and if we get to the point where we don't get many ships coming in and bringing food, we really need to do something about it."

Ms Moran said she learned how to grow her own produce on a course run by Frances Eddy.

"Going back to the earth is important. I have my own home garden now and I eat out of it every day, it is an amazing thing," she said.

Meanwhile farmer Tom Wadson decried the lack of support from Government and a lack of interest from the younger generation.

"I can't take an apprentice," he said. "I think this is because farming is seen as somewhat historically socially unacceptable. But it's clear to me there's no continuity in the business.

"I have watched the apprenticeship scheme be scrubbed off by the stroke of a pen. Agriculture actually made the Throne Speech, the word agriculture was said three times, but we sit on things we're supposed to 9do somthing about) and nothing happens.

"Our agriculture needs help. The industry in this Country is in serious trouble, it's not just losing land, it's everything."

The meeting at Bermuda College also discussed the local environmental consequences of global warming, such as rising sea levels, the acidification of coral reefs and stronger hurricanes.

Eugene Dean, of Greenrock and the Emperial Group of Companies, said: "In Bermuda we've grown and profited from the tourism industry.

"Wouldn't it be in our interest to preserve our environment to ensure we keep the unique characteristics that differentiate us from other places where there are areas which have gone up in smoke?"

Mr. Dean said Greenrock was trying to encourage people to "Change the mindset", such as rethinking patterns of consumption.

"Less is more," he said. "Those are things we have to think about. How much are we consuming, how much are we wasting? If we thought more, maybe we would do things a little bit differently.

"We are so advanced we really have no excuse not to be doing things more efficiently. Why are we burning fossil fuels when we don't have to?"

The audience contributed the following recommendations to reduce global warming: bring your own bag to the grocery store; reduce air conditioning; shop in thrift stores; minimise your meat intake (to reduce the greenhouse gases in meat production); use renewable energy sources; carpool or use public transport; support your local farmers; lobby Government for legislation and leadership; turn off your lights; and install solar water heating.

Conservationist Dr. David Wingate said: "Solar water heating is competitive in energy.

" I installed a panel on Nonsuch Island in 1988 and it's still working. It's been free, it's paid for itself dozens of times over. It seems the best potentially beneficial to Bermuda but is the least promoted for some reason. However Government does allow solar water heating as duty free."

People were also encouraged to TAG, and were given blue recycling bags donated by the Department of Works and Engineering in order to recycle Tin, Aluminium and Glass.

For more about Greenrock log onto: www.greenrock.org

Anyone interested in growing their own food in a sustainable way should contact Frances Eddy of Backyard Biodiversity on 238-0059.