Teenagers will have a major say in deciding Bermuda's environmental future this April when they submit proposals to Government on how to deal with ecological issues.

Resolutions will be presented to Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson after students take part in the Youth 2000 conference, just one of the ongoing initiatives aimed at recognising this year's Earth Day on April 22.

Also planned is a whole series of supplements and articles on the environment and the conference itself in the Island's newspapers, a brochure on the importance of sensitive mooring sites and a string of tree plantings, carried out by the Environment Ministry.

As Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo curator Jack Ward explained, Earth Day is very much a global event, involving hundreds of thousands of people in countries worldwide.

From Gabon to Hong Kong, concerts, conferences and talks will be held for days at a time in an attempt to "raise awareness'' of environmental problems among different cultures and communities.

One of the most notable initiatives is being organised in Italy, where most of the major cities will ban the use of cars in their central streets for a day.

Despite their diversity, all of the events are tied together by the drive to educate large numbers of people on environmental topics and ensure that Earth Day perennial in its influence.

The crowning glory of Bermuda's celebrations will be the Youth 2000 conference, which will run between April 26 and 28 and is being organised under the auspices of the Bermuda Zoological Society by a committee of local conservationists and educators.

"The main aims of the conference are to educate and to listen,'' said committee member Mr. Ward.

He said that, over the next few months, young people from schools across the Island would be selected to take part in the conference, which will involve field trips to sites such as Tynes Bay Incinerator and the Pembroke Marsh.

Also included will be addresses from keynote speakers representing youth environmental organisations in the United States.

Mr. Ward added that much of the conference's schedule would depend on what the students said they thought were the most pressing issues affecting the environment both on a local and global scale.

"We believe young people are very intelligent and enthusiastic and we just wanted to provide them with a platform to put their views across and information on what is happening from an environmental point of view in Bermuda,'' he said.

"From that, they will be able to come up with resolutions and present them to Government on the last day of the Agricultural Exhibition in the Botanical Gardens.'' Another committee member, Keanya Francis, who is also a trainee Government Environment Officer, said: "The key is that this is going to be run and decided by young people. That's the driving philosophy behind everything that we're doing.'' He added: "It's going to be really exciting. The young people of Bermuda have so much talent to offer both the Island and the world. I'm really looking forward to it.'' Mr. Ward said the Earth Day events were also aimed at helping promote literacy among young people also.

He explained that, in the months to come, there will be several articles and stories in Bermuda's newspapers, promoting reading as a way of getting in touch with pressing problems and "coming up with real solutions''.

Green guys: Government trainee environment officer Keanya Francis (left) and Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo curator Jack Ward are helping to organise the Youth 2000 conference as part of Bermuda's celebration of Earth Day this April.

CONFERENCE CON