Justine McKeen, Pooper Scooper (5 page)

Mr. Ripley began to laugh. “I have to tell you, those T-shirts are very, very funny.” When Mr. Ripley stopped laughing, he looked at Justine. “My size is extra-large. Can I order a T-shirt from you? I think it would be great if we raised enough money for the Poop Power project at Central Park.”

“Of course,” Justine said. “You were the one who started this, after all.”

“I know, I know,” Mr. Ripley said. “It really was my fault. I was mad when I first saw the article and the flyer. But now I think it is a very good idea. It's been a long time since so many parents cared enough to call me. You are right. We need teachers in classrooms and coaches in gyms and librarians in libraries.”

“So Mrs. Reynolds is coming back?” Jimmy Blatzo asked.

“It's not that easy,” Mr. Ripley said. “The school board has to vote and approve it. In the end, the board makes the decision.”

“When is the next school board meeting?” Justine asked.

“A week from today,” Mr. Ripley said. “That's why I am here. If we get an army of Pooper Scoopers there to ask to put Mrs. Reynolds back into the library, it should make a big impact.” Mr. Ripley looked at Justine. “But I have a favor to ask.”

“Sure,” she said.

“Please order me a second T-shirt. Have all your friends sign it. I'm going to frame it and put it in my office. I want to remind myself that when kids care about something, it's important to listen.”

Classroom Chapter Notes

Chapter One

Ebooks save treebooks!

Over three billion books (made of paper) are sold each year around the globe. That takes a lot of trees. Books in your school library get used again and again and again, so no one should ever feel bad about this. However, when people buy books for their home, often it is only read once and then placed on a shelf. This is like wearing a T-shirt only one time and never using it again.

Ebooks, of course, don't use paper. So how do they work? Well, there are lots of ways to access ebooks, such as on your computer, an ebook reader or on a number of other personal devices. Ask your local librarian for all of the latest information!

Once you have downloaded the reading software to your device of choice, you can find thousands of free ebooks to read. Check out
www.myrockandrollbooks.com
to get free ebooks by Sigmund Brouwer.

Chapter Seven

According to the American Pet Products Association, four in ten households have at least one dog. In the United States, for example, that is close to seventy million dogs, and forty-five percent of these animals weigh forty pounds or more. That leads to a lot of dog poop!

Justine gave her friends a lot of information about how dog poop is bad for the environment. Here are ten reasons why people should take care of dog waste and not leave it in the grass. (Source:
www.petfinder.com/your-pet-and-you/scoop-dog-poop.html
)

1. Storm water carries pet waste and other pollutants directly into waterways.

2. Animal waste adds nitrogen to the water. Excess nitrogen depletes the oxygen in water necessary for beneficial underwater plants, fish and other wildlife.

3. Animal waste may contain harmful organisms such as Giardia, Salmonella and E. coli that can be transmitted to humans and other animals by ingesting contaminated water.

4. Roundworms and hookworms deposited by infected animals can live in the soil for long periods of time and be transmitted to other animals and humans.

5. It's the law! Many urban and suburban areas require you to pick up after your pet. Even if there is no restriction, cleaning up after your pet is always the right thing to do.

6. Joining the growing number of responsible pet owners may encourage hotel managers to accept pets when you are traveling and help keep fees to a minimum.

7. No one likes to step in pet waste and spread it into homes, cars and businesses.

8. Scooping on a daily basis and applying lime will help prevent odors.

9. It's easy to clean up by carrying plastic Baggies and paper towels in your pocket. The Baggies can be secured and thrown away in the garbage.

10. Your neighbors will appreciate your good manners.

Biogas Digester

When dog owners are responsible and dispose of dog poop, the “doggie bags” usually go to a landfill. The methane gas released by dog poop as it breaks down is still released into the atmosphere, and too much methane hurts the environment. That's one of the reasons that Justine was so excited about raising money for a biogas digester.

The city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, installed one called a Park Spark at a local dog park. Dog owners throw their pet's waste into an above-ground tube and then stir it with a hand crank that sends the waste to a bacteria container buried underground. Anaerobic bacteria—these bacteria don't use oxygen—begin to break down the waste. Methane is released. The gas is piped to a streetlight, which burns the gas and lights the park with a flame. The city hopes that someday the gas can be used to power vendor carts.

To learn about getting a Park Spark for your city or park, go to
http://parksparkproject.com
.

Chapter Ten

Why is your school librarian good for the environment? Because he or she can help you find information! And we need information to be able to make good choices—not only for the environment, but in all areas of life.

If you and your friends want to be library supporters, start by telling your librarians how much you appreciate them.

Sigmund Brouwer is the bestselling author of many books for children and young adults. Sigmund loves visiting schools and talking with youth of all ages about reading and writing.
Justine McKeen, Pooper
Scooper
is the third title in his new series about Justine and her efforts to create a greener community. Sigmund lives in Red Deer, Alberta, and Nashville, Tennessee.