1 Mother 2 Another

As you probably know (if only from reading
my blog), Friday was Earth Day. And apparently Maddie is not the
only kid in kindergarten who is environmentally conscious, because
she and her friends started a recycling club.


Officially named the Green Team.

Apparently this all started at recess: the
girls were talking about Earth Day, and Maddie’s friend
Bridgette suggested they pick up all the trash on the playground.
The idea started snowballing, and somehow an official organization
was formed to police litter in and around the school – and
the surrounding neighborhood. Becca came up with the name, and like
that, it was a done deal. The girls enthusiastically worked all
recess and collected a decent pile of trash and recycling;
unfortunately, the teacher was less than enthusiastic and insisted
that all the recycling had to go in the playground trash can as
well. She was clearly not a fan of Maddie carrying the recycling
through the school to the one recycling can. Maddie was not happy
about this, still railing about it after school.


So the club was started, and when school got out Maddie and a
couple friends spent some time making a few props. They found a
carboard box and painted it with signs, wanting to set it up in the
main hallway as a recycling box. In addition, Maddie made a
green-arrow-triangle recycling sign, and another friend made a
trash sign.


Thus far, the plan is for the girls to approach their teachers on
Monday and request an audience with the principal. When granted,
the girls will ask the principal if they can go on the school-wide
announcements to educate the school kids on the new recycling box,
and where to drop their items. The girls are wildly optimistic that
this will come off without a hitch.


I applauded all this, but Maddie was not done. She scrounged a
paper bag from our house and combed our front yard looking for
debris. Saturday morning, she begged to go to the park; while Cora
rode her bike there, Maddie combed the ground obsessively for
trash. Wearing work gloves. So thorough was she that Maddie
insisted on walking home on the opposite side of the street to
cover all avenues.


Over the weekend I spoke with another girl’s mom, who
laughingly admitted that her daughter is so militant about picking
up trash at parks that the mom is considering buying her daughter
gloves for sanitary reasons. So at least I know it’s not just
Maddie.


Wish Maddie and friends luck today, as they attempt en masse to
obtain a visit with the principal. And stay tuned – I’m
sure there’s more to come from the Green Team.