Who defines cool? Really, what is cool? I'll tell you what's cool.

Last year, in science class, I talked to my class about global warming, among other things. After meeting David Suzuki and hearing him speak last June, I was inspired to pass some of what I'd learned on to my class. I talked to them about the Kyoto Protocol, and how Stephen Harper had taken us out of it.

(Green ones say "yes", grey are undecided, and the reds say "no" to the world. Colour us red now.)

I talked about what it meant (to us and the world), what was happening, and what we could do to change it. I hoped it would stick, but figured, "Well, it's grade seven. What are the chances it's really going to hit home for them?" Last week, in grade eight LA, I gave them a reading by Suzuki on global warming to respond to. On their own, several of them mentioned the Kytoto Protocol, how it was wrong of us to back out, along with simple things we could do to ease the strain we put on our planet. Wow. It stuck. It was like seeing a difference I made within a matter of 3-4 months. That's cool.

PS - I have a female student in grade four that listens to Ben Harper and Jack Johnson. That's also most cool.