T.A. Blakelock High School is gearing up for an important environmental awareness event.

Led by Mr. James Stainton, the students and teachers of its Eco-School committee, will host the first ever Halton Eco-Innovations environmental conference this Earth Day on Tuesday, April 22.

Organizers hope to make it an annual event, hosted by a different secondary school every year.

All Oakville public and Catholic high schools have been invited, and there are expected to be 400 students in attendance.

Members of the T.A. Blakelock Eco-Schools Committee, in partnership with the Community Foundation of Oakville, is hoping to use this opportunity to reach out to other Oakville high school students to raise awareness and promote active discussion in and outside of the classroom about the problems facing our environment.

The conference is meant to not only showcase what is already being done, but more importantly what students can do, on a local and international scale, to work towards the goal of environmental sustainability.

The Eco-Schools program sets standards for each school to meet, and will be mandatory in every school by 2009.

The day will begin with an opening address by Gil Penalosa, former commissioner of Parks, Sport and Recreation for the City of Bogata, Columbia and the current executive director of Walk and Bike for Life, an organization, which seeks to demonstrate the health, economic and environmental benefits that human powered transport can have on the community.

After this, students will get to choose two workshops to attend, each hosted by an environmental advocate from a different field.

The workshop leaders including the CBC news anchor Diane Swain, solar technology researcher Claire Beckstead, Leah Birnbaum from the Ontario government's department of Infrastructure Renewal and Development, John Watson, director of Oakville's green box and waste management programs and Janet May, a smart growth activist with the provincial government.

In addition representatives will be present from Clean Air Champions, Oakville's Department of Environmental Development and Green Venture's recycled clothing initiatives.

A litterless lunch and group activities including designing a sustainable urban community, creating an environmental video commercial, and organizing a used clothing fashion show, will follow the workshops. Finally, the day will be brought to a close by rural and escarpment land protection activist and Juno-nominated Canadian recording artist Sarah Harmer.

Efforts to secure coverage of the event by regional and provincial media are underway. Cogeco TV has agreed to cover the event and their broadcast will be shown across Hamilton and the Halton Region.