Dawn Saves the Planet (9780545690522)

by Martin, Ann M.

  I have to say, by the end of that day, I was totally exhausted. But it was a good kind of tired. I went to sleep that night feeling very proud that I, Dawn Schafer, was actually doing something to Save the Planet.

  It was almost time for another BSC meeting, and I couldn’t wait. Boy, did I have some news to tell my friends! I had been on the phone all afternoon trying to find out about Stoneybrook’s recycling program and I’d discovered that basically they didn’t have one. Can you believe it? No wonder most of the kids in my class didn’t know about recycling.

  I was so anxious to talk to Stacey and everyone else that I reached Claud’s house a full ten minutes ahead of time. She was in the kitchen wearing big cooking mitts on each hand.

  “Come on in, Dawn.” Claudia pointed to the oven. “I want to show you my latest design.”

  “You’re making cookies?”

  “No! Dough earrings.” Claud pointed to the timer, which had less than a minute left on it. “They’re almost done.”

  “Dough? You mean people can eat them?”

  Claudia giggled and shook her head. “No. These are like dough ornaments that you hang on a Christmas tree. After I paint them I’m going to cover them with shellac.”

  Leave it to Claudia to think of something clever like that. Peering through the oven door, I could see little bits of dough shaped into dogs and cats. They were turning a golden brown.

  Ding!

  “Just in time,” Claud said. “The meeting’s about to start.”

  She pulled the cookie sheet out of the oven and set it on a metal rack on top of the stove. Then she turned to me and wiggled her eyebrows. “Now let’s have a snack.”

  Claud reached into her refrigerator and handed me an apple. Then she dug in her backpack and pulled out an enormous bag of chocolate drops.

  I was appalled. Not just by the huge bag of candy she was about to eat but by the way the candy had been packaged. “Look at that, Claud,” I said. “Each candy is individually wrapped in plastic.”

  “Yeah.” With a grin, Claudia tore off the wrapper and popped one in her mouth. “Isn’t that great?”

  “It’s terrible,” I said. “Do you know how bad plastic is for the earth? That stuff will never dissolve.”

  She studied the next piece of candy. “Gee, I never thought about that.”

  “Well, it’s time we all start thinking about it,” I said sternly. “Next time, don’t buy candy that’s individually wrapped.”

  Claudia saluted and clicked her heels together. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “What’s going on in here?” Kristy peeked in the kitchen. She gestured with her thumb at the ceiling. “We’re supposed to be upstairs for our meeting, you know.”

  “I’m making art,” Claudia replied, “and Dawn’s giving me a lecture about garbage.”

  She and Kristy both laughed. Normally I would have joined them but, after spending the last few days worrying about pollution, I didn’t find the subject very funny.

  “Speaking of garbage,” Kristy joked as we made our way to Claud’s room, “did you see what they served for lunch today?”

  Claud made a face. “Mystery Meat on a Taco Shell. It tasted awful.”

  “But what was worse,” I added, “was the dessert. Fruit cocktail in Styrofoam cups. Do you know how terrible Styrofoam is for the environment?”

  “No,” Kristy said, winking at Claud, “but I have a feeling you’re going to tell us.”

  I ignored her kidding and said, “Styrofoam is permanent garbage. It can never become part of the earth. I mean, five hundred years from now, those little cups that held the fruit cocktail will still be around.”

  “Ooh!” Kristy murmured to Claud. “Dawn sounds serious.”

  “I am,” I said, sitting cross-legged on Claud’s bed. “Ever since I started researching this project for Mrs. Gonzalez’s class, my eyes have really been opened.”

  “So have mine,” Mary Anne said as she entered the room. “Did you know that the Rodowskys’ dog can sing ‘Home on the Range’?”

  “Music and words?” Kristy cracked.

  Mary Anne nudged Kristy with her elbow. “Of course not the words, but if you sing the melody, he’ll join in. I found that out when I was baby-sitting this afternoon.”

  “That’s amazing,” Claud exclaimed. “The Rodowskys should have entered Bo when you and Dawn held that pet show.”

  Stacey, Mal, and Jessi hurried into Claud’s room just as the numbers on the digital clock flipped over to 5:30. Mal and Jessi took their usual places on the floor and Stacey hopped up beside me on the bed as Kristy called the meeting to order.

  While we waited for the phone to ring, Kristy asked, “Does anyone have any announcements to make?”

  Mallory cleared her throat. “I just thought everyone should know that the Ohdner kids have come down with the measles.”

  “Oh, no,” everyone moaned.

  “But!” Mal raised one hand. “I was the last to sit for them, and I’ve already had the measles, so I think it’s okay.”

  Next Jessi spoke up. “Mary Anne, would you write in the schedule book that I can’t sit for anyone on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday next week? Frederick Duvall from the New York City Ballet is teaching a special technique class on those days.”

  “You’re kidding!” Stacey gasped. “Frederick Duvall? I’ve seen him dance.” When Stacey lived with her parents in New York City, they used to go to the ballet all the time. “He’s wonderful.”

  Jessi nodded excitedly. “I know. I’m already nervous about taking his class.”

  Mal patted her on the knee. “Don’t worry. You’ll be terrific. As usual.”

  I started to say something about recycling, but the phone rang. It was Mrs. Prezzioso, looking for a sitter for Friday night.

  I guess my friends must have discussed who could take the job but I wasn’t listening. I was too busy thinking about Stoneybrook’s recycling problem and how I was going to fix it. Then I guess someone asked me a question because the next thing I knew, Stacey was waving her hand in front of my face.

  “Earth to Dawn!” she said. “Are you in there?”

  “What?” I blinked several times.

  “I can take the job,” Kristy said, “but if you want it, that’s okay with me.”

  “What job?” I asked.

  Claud, who was busy passing her bag of candy around the room, announced, “Dawn’s got her mind on other things. Like permanent garbage.”

  “Sorry, Kristy,” I said as everyone laughed at Claud’s joke. “I wasn’t paying attention. You take the job.”

  The phone rang two more times and Mal and Mary Anne each agreed to take an afternoon job. Then the room became quiet. I thought if I didn’t speak up then, I’d never get to explain my idea.

  “I have a very important announcement, everyone. I made a few calls today and discovered that Stoneybrook doesn’t have a recycling program. They have that one bin by the courthouse, where people can bring their cans and bottles, but that’s it. So I’ve decided to do something about it.”

  Kristy turned to Stacey. “Is this part of your science project?”

  Stacey shrugged. “I don’t think so. We’re teaching that class.”

  “This is completely separate from our class assignment,” I explained. “This is my own project. I want SMS to become a true recycling collection spot.”

  “For what?” Jessi asked.

  “Everything!” I could feel my voice growing louder with excitement as I said, “Do you realize how many items can be recycled? Newspapers, computer papers, plastic bottles, glass bottles, jars, aluminum foil.” I pointed to Claud’s wastebasket, where an empty Coke can lay. “That can. You could redeem it and get a nickel.”

  “Oops!” Claud giggled. “I guess I was just being lazy.”

  “Do you realize we use over 65 billion aluminum cans a year?” I said. “And if everyone threw theirs away, like Claudia, that would be a monstrous amount of unnecessary garbage.”

&
nbsp; “Boy,” Kristy said to Stacey under her breath. “Dawn’s really serious.”

  “You’re right,” I said, folding my arms across my chest. “This is very important to me, and it should be to all of you.”

  “It is,” Mary Anne said gently. “I guess we’re just not as upset about it as you are.”

  “Well, you should be.” I pointed to Mary Anne’s record book. “Look at the amount of paper you waste by writing on just one side of each sheet. Did you know that each of us uses five hundred and eighty pounds of paper a year? And it takes fifteen years for a tree to grow big enough to be made into paper. We’re wasting a lot of time and trees.”

  Mary Anne stared down at the club record book, her cheeks a deep red. “Next time I promise to write on both sides of the paper, Dawn.”

  I realized I had embarrassed her and I felt bad about it. “Thanks, Mary Anne,” I said, with an encouraging smile. “It means a lot to me. And next time we have to buy more paper for the club, I’d like to propose that we make sure it’s recycled paper.”

  Kristy shrugged. “That’s all right with me.” She looked around the room at the rest of the club. “Any objections?”

  Everyone shook their heads.

  The next fifteen minutes were filled with phone calls, so we couldn’t talk about my project anymore. Just before the meeting ended, Claud announced, “I want everyone to come into the kitchen and see the new jewelry I’ve made. There’s something for each of you. And,” she raised one finger, “Dawn will be glad to hear that my jewelry is completely biodegradable.”

  Everyone giggled but me. I knew that I was starting to sound like a grumpy old teacher, lecturing everyone, but I couldn’t help it. If I couldn’t convince the BSC of the importance of protecting our planet, how was I going to convince the town of Stoneybrook?

  It was Saturday morning and Jessi and Mal had been asked to sit for the Pike kids. Vanessa and Nicky are the only ones in my Save the Planet class but I guess they were so excited about ecology that they made everyone else in their family excited about it, too. I wish I could have been there to see them in action. I know I would have been very proud.

  Anyway, Jessi arrived at the Pikes’ house at ten o’clock on the nose and rang the bell. After several minutes, she heard a thundering of footsteps on the stairs. The door flew open and Mallory shouted, “Vanessa and Nicky are in the dining room. Watch them, will you?”

  Then she disappeared from sight.

  “Mal?” Jessi called, stepping into the foyer. “Where are you?”

  “I’m being held captive by the Green Patrol,” a muffled voice yelled from the living room.

  Jessi stuck her head around a corner and found the triplets, Adam, Byron, and Jordan pinning Mallory’s hands behind her back. Each boy wore a green baseball cap, with the bill turned backwards.

  “The Green Patrol. What’s that?” Jessi asked.

  Jordan put his hands on his hips and stood with his feet apart. “We’re here to guard against household waste.”

  Byron pointed to Mallory. “She was caught drinking water out of a paper cup.”

  Mal looked at me and shrugged. “At least it wasn’t Styrofoam.”

  “But why use paper that you throw away when you can reuse a glass?” Adam demanded.

  “She was also caught using paper towels in the kitchen,” Jordan added. “She should have dried her hands on a cloth towel.”

  Mal rolled her eyes at Jessi, then turned back to her brothers. “I promise I’ll never do it again.”

  “You better not,” Byron warned. “But just to make sure, you have to go to Green school.”

  “No, not Green school!” Mal groaned. “Not again.”

  “What’s that?” Jessi whispered.

  Mal gestured with her head to a blackboard that had been set up on the other side of the living room. Standing in front of it was the youngest Pike, five-year-old Claire. Beside her stood Margo, the seven-year-old, her arms folded sternly across her chest.

  “Bring Mallory here!” Claire ordered. “She has to read the rules.”

  Jessi followed Mal and the triplets over to the blackboard. “I didn’t know everyone in your family was taking Dawn and Stacey’s class.”

  “They’re not,” Mal murmured out of the side of her mouth. “But Vanessa and Nicky told them about it and they got so excited they formed the Green Patrol. They’ve been acting like this ever since last night.”

  “What do your parents think?” Jessi asked.

  “They think it’s cute,” Mallory replied. “But they haven’t been arrested by the Green Patrol yet, and forced to go to Green school. This is my third trip through.”

  “Okay, Mal,” Margo commanded, “read the blackboard.”

  Mal sighed and began to read off each hand-printed line.

  “I promise never to use plastic bags at the grocery store.

  “I promise to use dishcloths instead of paper towels.

  “I promise to carry my lunch in a lunch box, not a paper sack.

  “I promise to recycle all cans and bottles whenever I can.”

  While Mallory spoke, Jessi checked on Vanessa and Nicky, who were sitting at the dining room table, hard at work on the Save the Planet assignments Dawn had given them. Each one wore the Kids Care badge.

  “Help, Jessi!” Nicky called out the moment he saw her come into the room. “I don’t know what to say in my letter.”

  “Who are you writing?” Jessi asked, peering over his shoulder. A yellow tablet was in front of him and a thick pencil was clutched in his hand.

  Nicky raised his eyebrows and said, “The President.”

  “The President?” Jessi repeated. “You mean, of the United States?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “It’s part of our assignment in Dawn and Stacey’s class,” Vanessa explained as she pulled an envelope out of an open box of pink stationery by her elbow. “We’re supposed to write the world leaders and tell them how much we care about our planet.” She pointed to several addressed envelopes piled neatly on the table. “I’ve already finished four letters.”

  “Do you mind if I read one?” Jessi asked.

  “Here’s my latest. It’s supposed to go to Europe.” Vanessa handed her the slip of pink paper. “Now I’m going to write Japan.”

  Jessi took the letter and read it aloud.

  Dear Mrs. Queen of England,

  My name is Vanessa Pike. I’m nine years old and I’m very upset about the pollution in the world. If we don’t stop throwing garbage in our oceans, and polluting our air, animals and fish could die. Things are getting so bad that I’m afraid the world won’t be a very nice place when I grow up and have children. Please help stop pollution.

  Sincerely,

  Vanessa Pike

  Jessi looked up from the letter and smiled warmly at Vanessa. “That’s really wonderful. I think the Queen will be impressed.”

  Nicky, who had been chewing anxiously on his pencil eraser asked, “Can I copy it?”

  Vanessa shook her head. “No, Nicky. We’re each supposed to write our own.”

  Jessi handed Vanessa’s letter back to her and said, “Nicky, let me see what you’ve written.”

  “It’s terrible,” Nicky cried, covering the page with his arm.

  “I’m sure it’s not,” Jessi prodded gently. “Let me see.”

  Slowly Nicky pulled his arm away. The page was blank except for three words written across the top: Dear Mr. President.

  Jessi stared at them and said, “Well that’s a good start. Now you just need to write the letter.”

  “I can’t.” Nicky’s lower lip was trembling dangerously. “I know what I want to say, but I don’t know how to spell all the words.”

  Jessi’s sister Becca is the same age as Nicky, so Jessi is pretty good at handling eight-year-olds. “I’ve got an idea. How about if I act as your secretary?” she suggested. “You tell me what you want to say and I’ll write it down.”

  Vanessa, who was busily writin
g her letter to Japan, lifted her head to protest, “But it has to be in Nicky’s handwriting.”

  “Then Nicky can copy what I’ve written,” Jessi replied as she sat down beside Mal’s brother. She picked up the pencil and said, “All right, you’ve got ‘Dear Mr. President.’ Now what?”

  Nicky scratched his chin and wandered around the table muttering to himself. Here’s the letter he finally dictated to Jessi:

  Dear Mr. President,

  You don’t know me but I’ve seen you on TV. My name is Nicky Pike and I’m in second grade at Stoneybrook Elementary School. I have a pet hamster named Frodo and seven brothers and sisters. Garbage is taking over the world and if we’re not careful, there won’t be any room left for my family or Frodo. Plus the air is bad for us. So, will you do me a favor and help fix this? Thank you.

  Your friend,

  Nicholas Pike

  P.S. I’m sending my picture so you will know me the next time you see me.

  Jessi helped Nicky copy the letter and address the envelope. But before they could start another letter, the Green Patrol burst into the dining room. The triplets circled the table, joined by Margo and Claire.

  “Is that recycled paper?” Adam asked, pointing to the stationery they’d used.

  Jessi examined Nicky’s yellow tablet and nodded. “Yes, I think so.”

  “How about that?” Jordan pointed to the box of pink stationery and Vanessa’s eyes widened in horror.

  Margo folded her arms across her chest. “You’re the one who told us we had to use recycled paper.”

  “I know I did,” Vanessa muttered as she checked the outside of the box. “But I didn’t buy this. Mom and Dad gave it to me for Christmas last year.”

  Mallory stepped into the room. “I think maybe the Green Patrol shouldn’t worry about the stuff we already have. You guys should just focus on the future. So from now on, Vanessa will make sure she buys only recycled stationery. Right, Vanessa?”