Charlotte's Corner: Charlotte's Earth Day Thoughts

Editor's Note: With today's entry, we introduce a new feature for Charlotte's Journey Home, "Charlotte's Corner." In this periodic column, Charlotte will weigh in with her own words and thoughts about what is important to her. She will regularly discuss books, nature, school, and other things that she wants to share. I've been blogging Charlotte's life since before she was born. She's decided that it is time for her to help author the story. I'm proud to type her words, but other than correcting some spelling and grammar, I promise to stand by and read along with you. Bravo, Charlotte!

"Nature"

an essay for Earth Day by Charlotte

Water: Water is dirty because of us! We have to save it!!

Trees: Trash is bad for them. We have to stop throwing trash and recycle!

Animals: Animals are extra important. They feed us, so we have to help them! Did you know that animals were made from the first fish, lion, cheetah, hamster, cat , dog, bear, etc? And, that those animals had babies? And, those babies grew up and had babies, etc.? Well, now you do. But, the big question is who made the first animal?

And did you know that if animals didn't eat other animals we wouldn't survive because we would only eat half of our healthy diet? And did you know that some animals are disappearing from the world like dinosaurs did? Some fish are. A lot of animals are, but you can help!

Here's what you do: You buy fish that is responsibly fished and farmed! Fish are at the bottom of the ocean food chain, sort of, and doing that helps every animal that eats fish and that is a good start!It helps almost every animal including sharks, dolphins, and even other fish! And animals that live on land like cats, bears, dogs, sometimes lions, etc.!

And did you know that cheetahs are not only fast runners, but they climb trees, too? And, the baboon runs on land as well as it climbs a tree?

Did you know that paper is made from trees? Did you know that trees make the air clean so it is important not to cut them down even for Christmas trees?

Animals need food and water to survive and some of the food is disappearing so the predator is too because it can't eat! And trees are getting cut down and that's bad for animals like giraffes and sloths because they eat leaves! It is really bad for sloths because they can't hang in the trees and rest! Same for leopards and cheetahs so it's REALLY IMPORTANT to not cut trees down! If you still can't understand why...it's because it makes animals that live in trees and eat leaves not live BECAUSE...they can't rest or eat! And they probably can't make other lives BECAUSE they're already into their first life! And that's bad because giraffes, sloths, maybe cheetahs and leopards would die!

Why? BECAUSE not only those animals would die, BUT the animals that eat these animals would die. Why? BECAUSE the predators couldn't eat their food ! Trash is also bad for them BECAUSE plastic bags could go into the ocean and get eaten by the sea turtles who thought they were jellyfish and ate them. OOPS! It was a plastic bag because the sea turtle would die. BECAUSE the plastic bag would poison it.

Bibliographic notes gleaned by editor in an interview with Charlotte: Charlotte learned about nature, the food chain, and the ocean from PBS's "The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That," Scholastic News, "Ivy and Bean: What's the Big Idea?," her bilingual class at The International School of Boston, Mark Kurlansky's "World without Fish," and various dinner table conversations with Mom and Dad.

Photos: At top, Charlotte enjoys a gorgeous day on the Cliffwalk in Newport, RI.

At bottom, Charlotte chats with a gecko at Boston's Museum of Science.