I am the proud den mother of Highland's Eco Team.  Every day I am amazed and motivated by the conviction of the team and Highland students to make positive environmental change. Like many environmental activists, I sense the real change will come from our youth, who will have to pick up after several lost generations. When  we send our 1000 students into the community with sensititivity to and awareness for our earth, we are changing the world.    

Our children may save us if they are taught to care properly for the planet; but if not, it may be back to the Ice Age or the caves from where we first emerged.  Then we'll have to view the universe above from a cold, dark place.  No more jet skis, nuclear weapons, plastic crap, broken pay phones, drugs, cars, waffle irons, or television.  Come to think of it, that might not be a bad idea.  ~Jimmy Buffet, Mother Earth News, March-April 1990

Zac Whyte is an environmental and human rights activist. He is a Youth Waste Reduction Educator for Comox Strathcona Waste Management and The Power of R program. Zac is a full-time Liberal Studies Major at Vancouver Island University and has an Honours Diploma in Television and Media Communications from BCIT.
"I love the passion and determination of everyone on this team. Everyone here cares deeply about the planet and we all make a concerted effort to live a lifestyle that has a low ecological impact." 

After leaving Comox and living years abroad I am glad to be back to the beautiful valley.

Last year in China, I couldn’t even see the buildings across the street.   Originally I thought we were having a foggy day and the moisture just needed to burn off, after days of no changes to the visibility it became clear or rather unclear that it was smog.  Checking a study by Penn State I learned that the conditions on any given day would have shut down schools in Canada.  That on a bad day the conditions were five times worse than the maximum acceptable air pollution levels in Canada and well above the maximum tolerable levels.  All in a city renowned not for air pollution but for water pollution.

There is so much to clean up but there is so much to celebrate about our great planet.  I am proud to be part of a team that is committed to cleaning up school and community.  I am inspired and awed by the everyday work of this team whether daily composting, recycling, e-waste removal, meeting with local government, attending conferences or just extending good will around the school.