Canada - Students offered an exclusive look at wind-energy industry with Wind 101

Students from three British Columbia high schools will get a taste of wind energy and its possibilities for slowing climate change during the Canadian Wind Energy Association's (CanWEA) Annual Conference and Trade Show Oct. 19 - 22 at the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Called Fast Forward to Wind, the Conference will focus attention on the untapped wind energy potential in B.C. and Canada and, for the first time, offer enviro-savvy youth from North Vancouver's Carson Graham Secondary, Victoria's Belmont Secondary and Vancouver Technical Secondary schools an exclusive peak into the country's wind-energy industry. The unique and innovative "Wind 101" youth component includes a trade show tour, mini-turbine kits for students to take home and presentations from young people who are thinking - and acting - green.

The schools were invited by CanWEA to participate in the "Wind 101"
session Oct. 21 based on their active environmental movements, including Carson Graham and Belmont Secondary schools' participation in the Cape Farewell Youth Expedition 2008, which, in collaboration with the British Council in Canada, raises awareness of climate change and equips young people to be environmental ambassadors at home and abroad.

Grade 12 students Alejandra Henao, from Carson Graham, and Lily Jackson, from Belmont, joined 26 other students from across the world on the expedition Sept. 7 - 20 to Iceland, Greenland and Baffin Island, and will give a multi-media presentation about their journey and lessons learned from it learned during the "Wind 101" youth session, which begins at 1 p.m.

"Each student on the Cape Farewell Youth Expedition represented a team of students from his or her school," says Rebecca Zalatan, Climate Change Programme Manager for the British Council in Canada. "That's why we are delighted that CanWEA has invited the British Columbia Cape Farewell ground crews and other students who are passionate about the environment to this conference. This initiative will certainly help spread the message about climate change."

Added Nicole Loreto, CanWEA's Vice President of Communications and
Marketing: "CanWEA is extremely pleased this year to include a youth education component to our Conference and Trade Show. The Cape Farewell program allows students to witness first-hand the effects of climate change. Our conference in turn will provide these young people with the opportunity to learn about the important role wind energy will play in producing clean, renewable energy for our future."

Forrest Bentham, a Grade 11 student at Carson Graham Secondary School and Canadian Climate Change Champion, will also share details during "Wind 101" about the British Council's International Climate Champions (ICC) Program, which encourages young people to become part of the solution to climate change with an eco-pledge program known as "ICCommit." VanTech Grade 12 student Lauren Law will discuss her participation last year in the international youth conference Road to Davos: Greenwich Forum 2008, which dealt with a range of global issues.

CanWEA's 24th Annual Conference and Trade Show represents Canada's
premier gathering of wind-energy industry experts, and brings together all disciplines of the wind industry - business, policy, science and technology. In total, Fast Forward to Wind will feature more than 200 domestic and international exhibitors and 2,000 delegates, including the world's largest, most successful and most respected wind energy producers. This conference will set the stage for those involved in the industry to network and promote possibilities for wind energy, which is poised for rapid growth in B.C.

About CanWEA:
The Canadian Wind Energy Association is a non-profit trade association that promotes the appropriate development and application of all aspects of wind energy in Canada, including the creation of a suitable policy environment.

For more information, please contact Trevor Sievert at ts@windfair.net