When Will We Be Recycled, Momma?

My friend Stephanie Armenia is a mother of two and passionate about how she'll leave the world to her children. Though she does not refer to herself as a writer, she wrote a brilliant children's book called When Will We Be Recycled, Momma? 

Stephanie's goal is to gift the book to all second graders in Hillsborough County by Earth Day on April 22nd.  Tampa Bay Beautification has already joined the effort, but Stephanie is looking for more sponsors and volunteers. 

After blasting off her recycling campaign in Tampa, her dream is to have at least one school in every state receive books in time for National Recycling Week in November. Each second grader who receives a copy would take a vow to recycle. 

 The book came about by Stephanie's desire to educate kids and their parents about "waste nothing and reuse everything at least twice if not more" on a daily basis. 

Then one day her daughter Juju came home with a plastic bottle rescued from a trash can.

Stephanie Armenia: She went on and on about how Jack, her water bottle, has a dream to be recycled into a spaceship and blast off to the moon insisting she had to recycle him because his family is waiting for him at the recycling center.  She said this with such passion I immediately had a vision of every second grade student in the entire country counting down and cheering for Jack as he blasts off into space vowing to be green. 

Tampa Do-Gooder: Would you describe yourself as an environmentalist? 

SA: I think it is safer to say that I am striving to make better choices everyday like making less trash come out of our home, not buying products that are individually wrapped, try to reuse gift bags, envelopes, clothing and make an effort to take care of our things so they last longer.  I'm just trying to teach my girls to care about their choices because they have an effect and they get it.   

Send me an email at savsabrina@gmail.com if you're interested in learning more or want to help Stephanie with her recycling project.