• About
  • Z-Blog Award
  • My Life with an Enigma
  • Index – My Life with an Enigma
  • Photography
  • Everything else
  • Uncategorized

Rangewriter

~ What Comes Next?

Rangewriter

Tag Archives: environment

Out to save the world; One dollar — One tree at a time

02 Saturday Jun 2012

Posted by rangewriter in Everything else, Travel & Adventure

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

charity, environment, fraud, fundraiser, planting trees, save the world

Two little girls bounced beside the road like popcorn on a griddle. A lone cyclist can’t help but notice eager young faces holding a sign and giggling to the little boys who skulked in the shadows across the street. The idea of a lemonade, even the dreaded Kool-Aid, painted a smile on my face. But as I coasted to a stop, I saw no beverage containers, just gleeful little girls.

The tallest girl held her sign above her head: “I believe that we can it – Save the ya World – we can do it,” read the hand-lettered sign in duo-colored marker . The smaller girl bounced around holding some crayoned note cards. “Join use  and save the Earth Please,” said one of her colorful cards.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“We are saving the world!” they replied in unison, followed by a breathless account of all the ways the world needs to be saved. Hunger, poverty, and TREES! “We are going to plant trees because the President is cutting down trees!” Colorful sheets of paper fluttered to the ground in their excitement.

“Where are you going to get these trees and where will you plant them?”

“Oh, we’ll get some seeds,” announced the older girl. And we’ll plant them over there by my mom’s garden where they can grow up big.” She pointed vaguely in the direction of a modest single story home that spoke of ends not quite meeting.

“Oh, so you’re out collecting money for your mom’s landscaping project, eh?” I asked with a grin.

“Yes, sort of. And she’s hungry,” the older girl seemed to be pointing at her sister, or was it her friend? “She only gets to eat cereal and she needs some eggs and milk,” the older girl’s delivery had faded into a downcast mumble.

“Well, how does it work?”

“You can pay a dollar for a tree.”

“A whole dollar? Don’t you have anything less expensive? A dollar’s kind of a lot of money for a bike rider. And I don’t even get any lemonade or anything?”

Both girls retreated to their save-the-world mantra. “We’re going to save the world one tree at a time and you can be part of it for just a dollar!”

Call me a sucker, but how could I resist a well-crafted pitch like that? As I fumbled through my gear to find a dollar, the girls hoped on one foot and then the other, jabbering about who would get to run in and tell mom…. I started to mount my bike and the littlest girl thrust one of her colorful notecards toward me. “Don’t you want one of these?”

“Why, of course I do! I almost forgot.”

And with that I rejoined my solo Memorial Day bike ride to Indian Creek Winery for their Wish Granters of Idaho fundraiser. The pause seemed most appropriate on this day of  remembering the blessings we have, of honoring the freedoms that our armed services have protected, and—for me—recognizing how fortunate I am to live my simple life with a comfortable bed and a roof over my head and  a beautifully made bike to carry me into the countryside to spend an afternoon sharing wine and conversation with friends on a gorgeous spring day.

Let’s talk rubbish!

29 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by rangewriter in Everything else

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

environment, garbage, recycling, waste

I’ve never used the Reblog feature before…I wonder what will happen. My intention is to Reblog Sandra Parson’s excellent post about rubbish. Like Sandra, I believe we can’t overstate the need to control our impulsive urges to toss. I hope this works.

island monkeys

Christmas is over, hallelujah! And what a gift orgy it was again. Mind you, in my family only the kids get presents, we others just enjoy their excitement, great food and spending time together. Still, with parcels arriving from grandparents, great-grandparents, godparents as well as aunts and uncles, not to mention our own little share in our offspring’s spoiling, the space under our dinky Christmas tree was getting scarce.

But I am not going to get into a rant about this overabundance’s possible negative repercussions for the little monster’s character development. Instead I wanted to talk rubbish.

I hate rubbish. “Yeah,” I hear you say “who doesn’t?” The point is, I also make an effort to avoid it.

To be precise, I am a bit of a compulsive recycler.

And why not? It’s good for the environment, it doesn’t take much effort, and it does actually save us money. So…

View original post 746 more words

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 5,067 other followers

That's me!

Some of my favorite Blogs

  • Alles ist gut Great opportunity to practice reading German while enjoying photos, recipes, and adventure essays from across the pond.
  • Catterel Catherine’s blog is as esoteric as mine, filled with poetry, photos, and general ruminations.
  • Cinemuse Some of the best film reviews I’ve read. My go-to site when considering my entertainment options.
  • Denise Bush Photography Fine arts photography with a deep connection to the landscape
  • Explorumentary A sublime melding of the eye of a scientist with the visual and verbal poetry of an artist. Sue shares her hikes into some of the most remote regions of our glorious country.
  • In Flow Creativity is what this one is all about. Great photography, tips, and inspiration.
  • Jane's Heartsong Your heart will sing right along with Jane’s when you see how she captures the essence of life in the world outside her door.
  • Licht Years: Where are you going, where have you been? “Nirvana is this moment seen directly.” Susan Licht offers us nirvana in each of her lovely images. She excels at taking advantage of existing light to see into everyday objects. And how very fitting that her last name means “light.”
  • Musings of an old fart Independent and scrupulously-researched perspectives on current events
  • Renee Johnson Writes: There is no going back behind a dark curtain of self-doubt. Following her dreams, writing, honing her craft, and engaging with other writers.
  • Zeebra Designs & Destinations An artist’s eyes never rests, nor does Z. Living here and there, writing, teaching, beautifying and spreading joy where ever she goes.

My Life With an Enigma

I’ve been Freshly Pressed!

All that jabber -archive

My Life With an Enigma. Available now!

Into War With an Empty Gun

His Red Journal; Finding My Father

Available now!

Available Now!

Available now!

Goodreads

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • Rangewriter
    • Join 5,067 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Rangewriter
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...