I once heard that a billionaire had asked the W.H.O to put together a budget to solve world hunger using his entire fortune. They made it for him. He was going to do it. But then he changed his mind.

Outside the window I can see several buildings, all with glass windows watching the world. They’re shiny and newly painted with sunny yellow stripes. Why build new buildings when we could have school outside? Convenience, I suppose?

I’ve seen two different shades of light blue. The sky, and the sky blue we try to reproduce on the outside of our plastic water bottles.

Eight items I threw out yesterday: A sock – with a small hole in it; a muesli bar wrapper; a scrap of baking paper; another scrap of baking paper – this one used to wrap cheese. This tiny clear elastic band I have to wear across my teeth when I sleep to correct my bite – single use, naturally; the yoghurt pottle my breakfast was in; the plastic salad bag my rabbit’s breakfast was in; the paper towels I used to dry the bench in science; the crushed shells we were dissolving in Ethanoic Acid to investigate the effects of climate change on ocean acidification. We did the experiment. We agreed that by 2100 around 70%-90% of all coral reefs will be extinct. The shells served their purpose. Then they were thrown out, naturally.

The first six animals I think of: The dinosaur, the moa, the dodo, the mammoth, the Yangtze River dolphin, and the West African black rhino. All extinct.

I do feel guilty when I get in the car. The bus stop is right there. I could walk. But I’m in a hurry and, after all, my mum is driving. It’s not my choice.

I’m wearing new blue shoes
Clean white socks
My own shirt
Shorts
Glasson’s cardigan
Nothing second hand but
I have just bought overalls from Save Mart
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Look at me making an effort

We should all step up, save the trees, save the oceans, save the turtles, save the bees. Be eco-warriors. Be activists. But I’m guessing this isn’t news to you. You’ve been to school, seen the news, read the books, looked out the window and seen the truth staring back at you.

We like our lives the way they are:
Comfortable.
Convenient.