By Joy Liu-Youth group

At one of our first meetings, the members of the Environment Hamilton Youth group were all looking forward in the prospect of making a difference in the city.  

Our purpose was to reach out to our schoolmates and peers to encourage them to make greener choices.  We were all enthusiastic about the idea of creating videos.  Thus, our first project was born; a series of four short ‘commercials’ with the catchphrase, “Everything’s changing, what about you?”  We want to get across the idea of the ever growing green trend, focusing on the environmental movement in Hamilton. 

We were able to complete our first video with much hard work, dedication, and fun.  The co-op students at Bizclip also volunteered to help edit the video. We premiered at the Sir John A. Macdonald Environmental Film Night, which was focused on “Eating Local”.  Our video illustrated the nutritious value of local carrots versus the ‘exhausted’, nutrition depleted California carrots by making use of EH’s Climate Carrot costumes.  Two students adorned the costumes and competed against each other in jumping rope, pull-ups, push ups and a final race; all of which the California carrot was comically unsuccessful at.  We then showed clips of teenagers buying food from the Hamilton’s Farmer’s Market and working with urban farmer Russ Orht;digging a garden on the front lawn of city house.

Making the video was as entertaining as the finished product.  Next on our agenda is to create three more videos focused on clean transportation, “Refuse, Reuse, Remake”, and energy conservation and alternative energy.