Reduce - Reuse - Recycle

by Staci Stevens

One of the most inspiring things happened to me last weekend while I was in Leavenworth. Jenelle and Torrey were hosting a BBQ (yes- it's that warm in Leavenworth) and her 9 year old cousin Gracie was there.

In between competitive battles on the Wi Fit she also talked about last weeks earth day at her school. Little Gracie was so bothered by the Styrofoam lunch trays used every day by hundreds of schoolmates at Mukilteo Elementary she decided to write a very pointed letter to her school district.

I absolutely love her candid spirit and determination to change things. I also love her reference to Jack Johnson's Reduce, Reuse, Recycle song- it's one of my favorites!!!!

Below is her letter (copied exactly from the original letter). If you do one thing all day- read her letter. It's so adorable yet inspiring.

April 22, 2009
By: Gracie (Jenelle's cousin)

Dear, sir or Gal

This is Gracie, do you happen to know that Styrofoam trays may take at least 900 to 2,000 Year’s to dissolve? Molly says you should not put mother earth down and make her mad. Kamryn says you aren’t being very smart to use Styrofoam for trays and not be able to recycle It. Don’t you know what you’re doing to our World! That’s all I have to say. Emma says I think You should be using different trays. Erika says you should be helping the Earth not killing it. It’s really not nice to hurt it. And just because you don’t want to help the earth doesn’t mean you can destroy it. So please help. Kylee says I think you should use reusable or recyclable trays and not Styrofoam trays. Saskia says I totally agree with everyone else!!!

.p.s. we all think you should think more about us because one day we will be the ones who have to live with it and were all going to be blamed! Molly says you should be nicer to mother Earth. We all say because that is just where we happen to be living; Molly says you should try to use reusable trays. We all say, because not only will it be good for our planet but also it may start to set good examples for other schools and people. Kamryn says you should think about what you do before you do it, like using those kinds of trays… Think wisely.

Saskia says our world rocks!!! Please don’t hurt it. World+ love= our lives!!!
Gracie says she love doing out door activities in fact don’t we all?!. So please please help. Emma says “Hey guys please save our planet” I don’t like it when you don’t.
We all say did you even know that we could turn out like WALL.E the movie well probably not that bad but that’s why we need to reduce, reuse and recycle. And if you listen to music you might know about Jack Johnson who happen to sing 3- is a magic number and one of the verses is actually “reduce, reuse recycle” so think about that…

Thank you,

Third grader’s: Gracie, Kylee, Kamryn, Emma, Saskia,, Molly and Erika