"Hi, my name is Jade Morningstar and I'm with La Vita è Bella Roots & Shoots group of London, Ontario. While many people hear about climate change, some things are not always clear. What is the Kyoto Protocol? What can we do about it? The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an amendment to the international treaty on climate change, assigning mandatory emission limitations for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to the signatory nations.

Canada agreed to reduce emissions to 6% below 1990 levels between 2008-2012. Since that time, instead of declining, Canadians' emissions are increasing.

This is a problem we must not accept. We have to deal with it now or our future will not be friendly. I spoke at a "Canadians For Kyoto" rally in Victoria Park about this problem to an audience of 200 people. The focus of my talk was that the most important thing you can do for our planet is to start with yourself. Even by making small changes in your life, the simplest changes can make a difference. Real change starts with you. It starts with me. Real change starts with us" – Jade Morningstar, age 13.

University of Toronto at Mississauga Roots & Shoots club scored major points recently with their "Baskets for Charity" basketball tournament. For the admission charge of $2, or 2 canned goods, fans came out to cheer on their favourite team as they battled for prizes donated by local Roots & Shoots supporters.

There were many winners by the end of the event, when Roots & Shoots members donated $250.00 and 10 baskets of canned goods to a local charity. Hoop it up!