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OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, April 29, 2009 · 6 OPINION & LETTERS The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571 Classified Advertising: 845-3824, ext. 224 Circulation: 845-9742 Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: NEIL OLIVER Vice ­ President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The Oakville Beaver is a division of Media Group Ltd. DAVID HARVEY General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director SANDY PARE Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution SARAH MCSWEENEY Circ. Manager We`re in good hands Demonstrating leadership on issues related to our environment is not reserved for those with the most political clout or even those with the most life experience. Sometimes, environmental role models in our society come from those who are just starting to carve out a life for themselves. Last week, Halton Region honoured nine such young people from Halton -- four from Burlington, four from Oakville and one from Milton -- plus a host of Halton schools that have made it their business to try to improve their community, their country and their world. The nine young people honoured with Halton Environmental Scholarship Awards worth $1,000 each were chosen simply for their desire to pursue post-secondary education with an emphasis on the environment. While their career aspirations vary from zoology to environmental engineering and oceanography to environmental science, these young students share the common goal of wanting to make a positive contribution to our world's future health. Equally impressive are the efforts of the 16 Halton schools and groups -- nine from Oakville, four from Burlington, two from Milton and one from Halton Hills -- recognized with Halton Youth Awards for Environmental Excellence, which carry a $500 prize for each group honoured. Collectively, these young Halton residents helped raise environmental awareness among their peers (and teachers) by encouraging recycling, reusing and composting, promoting litterless lunches and Scout camps that include the use of Blue Boxes and GreenCarts, planting gardens of trees, shrubs and wildflowers, and donating milk bags to volunteers who crochet them into bed mats for impoverished children in Haiti. We applaud the efforts of every Halton student who was honoured by Halton chair Gary Carr last week. Their combined efforts have made a difference to our environment today, while their desire to pursue careers that will positively impact our environment leave us feeling optimistic the future of our world is in caring hands. The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR As the temperatures outside start to rise with the arrival of warmer weather, we know that the number of property crimes and thefts from vehicles will also rise. Halton Regional Police Service is requesting your assistance to ensure this year you do not become one of the more than 1,000 people in our community who have their vehicles broken into at a combined loss of in excess of $500,000 each year. Last year in Oakville, more than 35 people were arrested for breaking into vehicles, with 70 per cent of those arrested being teenagers. The majority of offences occurred between June and August. Carhopping, as it is commonly known among youths, is talked about frequently at parties. Teens can often find themselves committing a criminal offence that they did not plan, but because the opportunity presented itself on their way home from a party or to a sleep over at a friend's house. In order to help deter these kinds of incidents from occurring, plainclothes and uniform police officers in Oakville will be taking a zero-tolerance approach to targeting the culprits. If we see a youth engaged in Police ask everyone to do their part to reduce vehicle break-ins theft, they will be arrested and charged. However, enforcement is only one part of the equation. Prevention is the key, and here are some ways you can help do your part: teens, discourage your friends from taking part in "carhopping." Stand your ground and refuse to participate in carhopping yourself. It is a crime and you will be held accountable. If you are feeling peer pressure or being bullied to commit a criminal offence, speak to your parents, a teacher or a high school liaison officer. Parents, be aware of where your teenager is at all times. Talk to them about this crime trend and ensure they know it is a criminal offence. If your teen arrives home with new unexplained property such as a laptop, iPod or GPS, question where they got it from. Vehicle owners, never leave your vehicle unlocked. If you do choose to leave your vehicle unlocked, do not leave any items of value inside. Secure laptops, GPS equipment, and other electronics and valuables in the trunk, out of sight. Call police immediately if you see any suspicious activity. For more crime prevention tips on how to keep your property and your family safe, visit our website at www.haltonpolice.ca Thank you in advance for your valuable assistance in this matter. By working together, we can make a positive difference in our community and ensure Halton remains as safe tomorrow as it is today. SUPERINTENDENT MARTY POWER, COMMANDER #2 DISTRICT (OAKVILLE), HALTON REGIONAL POLICE SERVICE This week's poll Due to technical difficulties with The Oakville Beaver website, this week's poll and last week's results are currently unavailable. The Oakville Beaver regrets any inconvenience this may cause. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.