A group of young people are finally going to have their say when it comes to some of the environmental issues the Island faces.

The first ever Youth 2000 Environmental Conference is here and the eight delegates are preparing for a weekend of speakers, field trips and workshops.

"This is the first conference of its kind in Bermuda and we regard it as a valuable step toward preparing young people to be the future steward of our environment,'' said Principal Curator of the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo Jack Ward.

Organisers hope this will become an annual Earth Day event.

The mission of the conference is to inspire appreciation and care of the Island environment.

It is hoped that involving young people in a conference like this is an effective way to do this.

A survey was sent to schools across the Island asking students what they felt were some of the major issues the Island faced. The responses were tabulated and the results became the major issues the conference would cover.

The three-day conference will have students hearing from experts on topics such as litter, waste management, habitat destruction, water pollution, air pollution, traffic, loss of biodiversity and over-population.

Two American students, Children for a Safe Environment president, 13-year-old Donovan Koontz and Green Action member Alex Zavalega, 18, will both be speaking at the conference.

Delegates will also work on resolutions on the many issues which will be presented to Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson at the Agricultural Exhibition this weekend.

Other delegates will be chosen to represent Bermuda at the Youth Can environmental video conference on May 1 and to travel to England for the United Nations Youth Conference on the Environment from May 22 to May 24.

The Youth 2000 Environmental Conference is from April 26 to April 28 at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute.

ENVIRONMENT ENV