Future City Times
Where news come to life
Recycle Man
Dear Recycle Man,
Why is it important that I recycle? The landfill is so big in my town it seems like it will never fill up.
From,
Un-recycle
Dear Un-recycle
The reason you need to recycle is because not recycling is wasteful of materials. All this waste is filling up that landfill in your town. Before you know it, it will be full. If you start recycling, that plastic bottle that you threw away could turn into a new pair of jeans, a shopping bag, or even a new plastic container. Get out there and recycle!
From,
Recycle Man
Dear Recycle Man,
Why does my Mom yell at me every time I throw garbage on the ground? How can my little wrapper be a big deal to her?
From,
Lyle the Litterbug
Dear Lyle the Litterbug,
First, the reason you don't throw waste on the ground is because it is illegal and you can go to jail. (That is important to know!) The second reason you shouldn’t litter is if it gets into a water source or a river, it changes the chemical balance in the water and can kill plants and animals that live there, and make the water undrinkable. If everyone threw their garbage on the ground, like you do, it would be a huge mess. So, please, stop littering.
From,
Recycle Man
Dear Recycle Man,
I feel bad whenever I throw out leftover scraps of food. Is it possible to compost my food scraps? Also, is it hard to do??
From,
First Time Composter
Dear First Time Composter,
You can compost food scraps for sure! You can put the food scraps in a pile in the corner of your yard along with grass, leaves, dead plants. The combination breaks down and over time turns into fertilizer that you can put in your garden to help your plants grow. Check out your local garden center; they are sure to have all kinds of helpful tips on how to get started composting. Good Luck!
Your friend,
Recycle Man
The Biker Girl Advice Column
Dear BIker Girl,
I am 12 years old and am interested in riding my bike to school. My Mom and Dad think it’s too dangerous. How can I convince my parents?
From,
Just Trying to Ride My Bike
Dear Just Trying to Ride My Bike,
Safety is important. You will need a bike that works, a helmet, sneakers, maybe even elbow pads to protect your arms in case you fall. Be sure to stay on the bike path and watch for cars. (If you get hit by a car, it isn’t my fault!)
Biker Girl
Dear Biker Girl,
I love laying around watching TV. My Mom keeps bugging me to get outside and ride my bike. What should I do?
From,
Couch Potato
Dear Couch Potato,
If you lay around all the time, your bones will get weak. Riding your bike will make your bones and muscles strong. A bike ride can help make a bad mood go away. You can sing happy songs and talk to yourself, and no one cares. Get off the couch and onto your bike.
Biker Girl
Dear Biker Girl,
I don’t know how to ride a bike. Do you have any tips?
From
Always Falls in the Ditch
Dear Always Falls in the Ditch,
All you need to do is to push with your foot and try pedaling. You’ll get the hang of it. If you need a little extra help, ask your Mom or Dad to give you a boost. They can help hold the seat while you find your balance. Training wheels can help you too. If you practice every day, you’ll be riding your bike by the weekend. If you get a blister on your finger, just put a bandaid on it and you can keep going. Good Luck.
Biker Girl
Dear Biker Girl,
I am worried that there are too many cars on the road. How can I get more people to ride their bikes to work or school?
From
Choking on Pollution
Dear Choking on Pollution,
Did you know, that most people work within 5 miles of their homes? That is a short bike ride that anybody could do. Riding your bike can save lots of money. You don’t need gas and really don’t have to do anything to your bike. You can just hop on and go. Riding your bike can keep you healthy! There are so many kinds of bikes you can find one that will hold all your stuff; I even saw with with a bike trunk. The last thing about riding your bike is that it really helps with air pollution. OH, and your hair looks really great blowing in the wind and the boys will want to follow you. I hope this helps.
Biker Girl
Drunk Driving Destroying our Neighborhoods and Environment
Dear Marco,
Recently, our neighbor’s son has been involved in a horrible drunk driving accident. Although he was not killed, and he was not the one driving drunk, he is now in serious condition. I’m now very concerned with drunk driving in the area. Timothy, what do you think about it?
Sincerely,
The Concerned neighbor
Dear Concerned neighbor,
I’m sorry to hear the horrible news about your neighbor’s son. It is not his fault, but unfortunately drunk driving has been increasing every day, and we have to find a way to reduce it. Recently , I have been developing a new way to reduce drunk driving fatalities that occur every day around the world. My product is a device that can be installed in cars, but starting in 2017, it will come in new car models. This device starts with your fingerprint to see if you are sober or not. Then, it also makes sure that nobody is stealing your car as an added benefit. There would also be a scanner inside that can detect if you’ve gotten drunk in the middle of the ride. Victim, with my Sober Car, we will definitely reduce the drinking while driving fatalities by a lot.
Sincerely,
Marco
Dear Mr. President
March 7, 2016
To Our Next President,
America is getting more polluted. I think one way to help would be to get more Americans to compost. Think about it, people throw away banana peels, apple cores, mushroom remainings, leftovers of fruits and vegetables every day, when they can really compost these and help plants grow by composting. Instead of these scraps ending up in a plastic bag at the dump, they can be transformed into fertilizer.
Learning how to compost is easy. You can go to your garden center or hardware store or even check out a video on Youtube and learn how to get started. Once the system gets going, you won’t need to buy fertilizer for your plants because you’ll be making it on your own!
There are many reasons people should start composting: to save the planet, to save money and to decrease waste.
As our next president, please encourage people to compost more!
Sincerely,
Nino Tarara
Seed Bombs are THE Bomb! By Jaydon Hummer
Let the Bombs Drop, Seed Bombs that is!
by Jaydon Hummer
Inventor of the Spectrum Seed Bomb
What would happen if school children in Rockford healed the Forest City just by bombing it? Spectrum Seed Bombs are the key! Spectrum Seed Bombs are made with just recycled paper, seeds and water. Their easy to hold, cube shape design, is perfect for dropping, throwing and launching into areas that need to be replanted. Now hikers, walkers and bikers can launch a bomb while they are already outside enjoying their hobbies. Spectrum Seed Bombs are perfect for little hands and encourage even the youngest child to help the environment. As the inventor of Spectrum Seed Bombs, I am interested in getting young children involved so that they will pass along those habits to their own kids. As residents of Earth, we all need to remember that plants, trees and forest areas are key to life. They keep our Earth (and all living creatures) healthy. So, throw a bomb, save a forest!