I’ve been an avid skier since I learned to walk. Before I moved to the east coast, I spent every weekend on the ski hill during the winter months. Only recently did I begin to consider the implications of climate change, with its warmer winter temperatures and less predictable precipitation, for the future of my favorite pastime.

I can live with having less snow in the winter. I can live with never skiing at all, if that’s what it comes to. What I can’t live with is knowing that it’s our fault. I don’t ever want to have to explain to my children that my generation had a hand in the disappearance of glaciers in the Rockies, and didn’t do anything about it.

The way we live is having a dramatic, immediate, visible impact on the world. The question is, what are we going to do about it?

Powershift is a youth conference on climate change that takes place Oct. 26-29 in Ottawa-Gatineau; it’ll be a spectacular chance to learn more about what we can do in our communities to start making positive change. I’m particularly excited about hearing Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, a leader in the Quebec student movement, speak, and going to the panel on “Urban agriculture: community food solution to building resiliency”. I’m also pretty darn stoked about the chance to facilitate a workshop on the importance of Popular Education! The best part will be the chance to meet all the incredible people who are raising their voices and making waves in their communities across Canada. See you all there!