The Eco Treasure Hunt
A Better World Kids Adventure
by Robert Alan Silverstein
illustrated by Vineet Siddhartha

      
Share Button

You've successfully found Chapter 4 in the Eco Treasure Hunt
... if you haven't read
Chapter 1 ... you've missed a lot of fun!
... go back to the start of this Better World Kids story ...

Chapter 4. Eco Maze

As Ahmed typed the URL, the Eco Gate opened. The Better World Kids found themselves standing at the entrance to a giant maze. The loved a challenge and they smiled as they stepped inside.

The Eco Maze wound round and round and round. It seemed like they were walking for hours, but it passed quickly by for the kids because the walls of the maze were painted with a giant mural that stretched out as far as they could see in any direction. The pictures on the wall showed amazing scenes of beauty - mountains and rivers and forests and prairies, and human towns and cities, too. It was exactly as it would be like if there were peace on earth.

Everything in each scene was in balance, and the Earth - the land, the water and the skies -- were healthy. This was the way the world should be, and the kids were filled with awe and wonder, and pride, too, because they knew it COULD BE this way. They knew that they and lots of others all around the world were working to try to make it so.

They kids continued on until there was a fork in the road. There were arrows that pointed in each of the roads' directions. As they walked closer, the Better World Kids began to suspect that there would be something written on the arrows that would help them to make their decision. Sure enough that's exactly what they found.

On the first arrow they read, "Might makes right."

On the second it said, "The end justifies the means."

"The path to a better world is to treat the Earth and all living creatures with respect," they read on the third arrow.

It seemed pretty obvious to the kids which path to take. Without hesitating, they took the third branch.

The Better World Kids came to quite a number of forks in the road. Not every one of the choices was as clear as the first, so they took their time at each crossroad to choose the right way.

Finally they came to a bridge that had a gate across it. The bridge stretched over a great chasm that seemed to fall forever downwards. On the other side of the bridge, it looked like there was a pot of gold glimmering in the sunlight.

The kids' hearts were pounding. Was that the eco treasure they were hoping to find?

In front of the bridge there was a sign and of course there was a question on it. All around the sign there were a whole bunch of levers, and the Better World Kids were sure, of course, that they would just happen to have possible answers on them.

"How can we help save the Earth?" they read on the sign. Each of the Better World Kids wandered over to one of the levers to check the choices. There just happened to be enough levers for them each to stand in front of one.

"Don't waste water," Sunanda read. "This is the answer!" she exclaimed.

"Reduce, Reuse, Recycle," José read. "Hang on, don't pull your lever, Sunanda. Remember, we already proved this one is the answer they're looking for!"

"Conserve energy," Jamal read. "Turn the lights off when you're not using them."

"Paper or plastic bag at the store? Bring your own re-usable cloth bag!" Maya's sign said.

"Mine's good, too," Ling sighed. "Start a compost bin..."

"Walk or ride your bike instead of driving for short trips," Johnny added.

"Plant a tree or organize a community garden," Sol read.

"Participate in a community clean-up," Ling exclaimed.

""Borrow things you don't use very often or buy used, instead of buying new things," Ahmed's sign said.

"Spread the word," Sunanda read with a sigh. "What are we going to do … they all sound like good answers!"

Everyone agreed.

"Let's pull them all," several of the kids said at once. Everyone agreed that was the best idea.

They each stood ready at their levers, closed their eyes, took a deep breath and pulled them all at the same time.

"Did anything happen?" they each wondered. It didn't look like anything had changed until Ahmed glanced down at his laptop. His cursor was typing on its own. Everyone ran over to see.

"www.EcoTreasureMap.com/treasure.htm" they read as the cursor reached the end of the hyperlink and continued blinking.

All the Better World Kids swallowed nervously, watching, waiting.

"Press it Ahmed," the kids gasped as one. They held their breaths.

 

www.EcoTreasureMap.com/treasure.htm

 

 

© 2004-2013 Robert Alan Silverstein
Better World Kids Illustrations by Vineet Siddhartha

 

Contact The Author
Better World Kids header by Vineet Siddhartha