{"id":511,"date":"2022-12-14T10:15:31","date_gmt":"2022-12-14T15:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/?post_type=chapter&p=511"},"modified":"2023-03-29T19:51:39","modified_gmt":"2023-03-29T23:51:39","slug":"frontlines-6","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/chapter\/frontlines-6\/","title":{"raw":"Frontlines","rendered":"Frontlines"},"content":{"raw":"Carmen stood on the edge of what was once a forest and looked out across the horizon. Like strong round gravestones, hundreds of stumps now marked the spot where old cedars once stood. She took a deep and shaky breath, the stale air stinging her lungs. Tears brimmed her eyes, and like a scratched record, her mind kept repeating one simple phrase: if not today, perhaps tomorrow.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u2026<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe town was electric with the media coverage of the protest. Everywhere Carmen went she was recognized as the \u201cClimate Change Kid.\u201d Other nicknames were less flattering, and she was often mocked for being a \u201cTree Hugger.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s not in your best interest to retaliate,\u201d her mom told her, cracking eggs into a pan. They sizzled in the hot butter, filling the room with the familiar fragrance.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s exhausting,\u201d Carmen said, sitting down at the kitchen table. \u201cIt\u2019s like they think it\u2019s a joke or something.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cNobody thinks that, sweetie.\u201d Her mom placed two fried eggs on the plate in front of her. \u201cEat up,\u201d she said. \u201cThe day\u2019s not getting any longer.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen finished her eggs and headed off to school. The air was muggy today, as usual. She wore a low brim hat, partly to keep the sun off her face, partly to hide from the stares. There were only a few weeks of school left before she graduated, but it didn\u2019t feel like a huge achievement considering she didn\u2019t really have any plans for what happened afterwards. There\u2019s so many paths to take, the thought of it was overwhelming.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cHey Carmen!\u201d She heard someone call across the street. It was Finn, another senior at her school.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cI saw you on the news the other day,\u201d he said, slightly out of breath after running to catch up with her.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen and Finn haven't spoken for a while. They were both in the chess club and he taught her an opening called the London System, but that was before her father\u2019s accident. She hadn\u2019t quite felt like getting back to playing since then. Not yet, anyway.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cYou looked great,\u201d he said, grinning.<\/span>\r\n\r\nCarmen\u2019s cheeks flushed. \u201cHow are you?\u201d She asked.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cGood, good. So, uh, have you thought much about the final project yet? The one for the social justice class?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nMs. Laurier was the class teacher. Every year she offered a final project in lieu of an exam which, naturally, most students preferred. The option was vague: \u201cfind a way to create meaningful change in your community.\u201d But the vagueness was the most intriguing part\u2013there really was no limit.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cOh yeah, final project.\u201d Carmen stopped for a moment. With everything going on around her, she hadn\u2019t had much time to think about it. \u201cWell,\u201d she began. \u201cYou know how everyone has started calling me tree hugger?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cYes, I think I\u2019ve heard that.\u201d Finn replied slowly, raising his eyebrows in anticipation.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cWell. I think I might plant some trees,\u201d Carmen said slyly.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cReally?\u201d Finn asked. \u201cI mean, un-ironically, I think that\u2019s a really sweet idea.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cWell, I just honestly think it would cheer up the place a little bit, you know? Maybe spark a different kind of fire. Maybe it\u2019s a bit of a minor retaliation, maybe it won\u2019t make a huge difference, but I don\u2019t know\u2026 It would be more than nothing.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cI think you\u2019re right,\u201d he said, just as the first bell rang. \u201cIt\u2019s much more than nothing. I gotta run, but I\u2019ll see you later maybe?\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nThey parted ways and Carmen headed towards her first class. Sitting in the back seat, she quickly scribbled down a proposal for her project while her teacher droned on about Binomial Theorem. She had lunch with Macy in the cafeteria, pulling a flattened PB&J from her backpack. Her dad used to make these the best, but her mom tried so hard.<\/span>\r\n\r\nFinally, 2pm rolled around and Carmen walked into Ms. Laurier\u2019s class. The bustle of students around her quieted as her teacher began the class. Today, everyone would quickly present their project proposals to get feedback and, if all went well, approval to start the project.<\/span>\r\n\r\nWhen it was Carmen\u2019s turn, she grabbed her scribbled-on looseleaf and stood up nervously.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cI\u2019m going to plant trees,\u201d she said. She tightened her brow as someone in the back row snickered. Clearing her throat, Carmen spoke up.<\/span>\r\n\r\n\u201cI want to plant trees around the community in an effort to regain even a small portion of those lost diring the recent clearing of the forest. Our natural resources are not limitless, and extraction of these resources is a practice in natural genocide. We need more collectivism, not individual action. We need sustainable growth, and I want to illustrate this with the growth of trees.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n...<\/span>\r\n\r\nAfter her project was approved, Carmen was given a small budget, provided by the seniors end-of-year fundraiser, to order trees and began making flyers to hand out to business owners in the community, encouraging others to participate. She dug five small holes in the ground and planted two different types of cedars in front of her school, leaving a small orange sign in front that read \u201cTrees for our future.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\nBy the end of her project, Carmen's patience was tested several times, but she was inspired several times more. Her carefully built signs were defaced, but paradoxically, this only seemed to increase the support from the community. After two weeks, Carmen had planted twenty-five trees in seven different locations in Cedar Grove. After two weeks, Carmen felt like she had planted the seed of change.<\/span>","rendered":"

Carmen stood on the edge of what was once a forest and looked out across the horizon. Like strong round gravestones, hundreds of stumps now marked the spot where old cedars once stood. She took a deep and shaky breath, the stale air stinging her lungs. Tears brimmed her eyes, and like a scratched record, her mind kept repeating one simple phrase: if not today, perhaps tomorrow.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

The town was electric with the media coverage of the protest. Everywhere Carmen went she was recognized as the \u201cClimate Change Kid.\u201d Other nicknames were less flattering, and she was often mocked for being a \u201cTree Hugger.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not in your best interest to retaliate,\u201d her mom told her, cracking eggs into a pan. They sizzled in the hot butter, filling the room with the familiar fragrance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s exhausting,\u201d Carmen said, sitting down at the kitchen table. \u201cIt\u2019s like they think it\u2019s a joke or something.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNobody thinks that, sweetie.\u201d Her mom placed two fried eggs on the plate in front of her. \u201cEat up,\u201d she said. \u201cThe day\u2019s not getting any longer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen finished her eggs and headed off to school. The air was muggy today, as usual. She wore a low brim hat, partly to keep the sun off her face, partly to hide from the stares. There were only a few weeks of school left before she graduated, but it didn\u2019t feel like a huge achievement considering she didn\u2019t really have any plans for what happened afterwards. There\u2019s so many paths to take, the thought of it was overwhelming.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey Carmen!\u201d She heard someone call across the street. It was Finn, another senior at her school.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI saw you on the news the other day,\u201d he said, slightly out of breath after running to catch up with her.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen and Finn haven’t spoken for a while. They were both in the chess club and he taught her an opening called the London System, but that was before her father\u2019s accident. She hadn\u2019t quite felt like getting back to playing since then. Not yet, anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou looked great,\u201d he said, grinning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carmen\u2019s cheeks flushed. \u201cHow are you?\u201d She asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood, good. So, uh, have you thought much about the final project yet? The one for the social justice class?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ms. Laurier was the class teacher. Every year she offered a final project in lieu of an exam which, naturally, most students preferred. The option was vague: \u201cfind a way to create meaningful change in your community.\u201d But the vagueness was the most intriguing part\u2013there really was no limit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah, final project.\u201d Carmen stopped for a moment. With everything going on around her, she hadn\u2019t had much time to think about it. \u201cWell,\u201d she began. \u201cYou know how everyone has started calling me tree hugger?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I think I\u2019ve heard that.\u201d Finn replied slowly, raising his eyebrows in anticipation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell. I think I might plant some trees,\u201d Carmen said slyly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Finn asked. \u201cI mean, un-ironically, I think that\u2019s a really sweet idea.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I just honestly think it would cheer up the place a little bit, you know? Maybe spark a different kind of fire. Maybe it\u2019s a bit of a minor retaliation, maybe it won\u2019t make a huge difference, but I don\u2019t know\u2026 It would be more than nothing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think you\u2019re right,\u201d he said, just as the first bell rang. \u201cIt\u2019s much more than nothing. I gotta run, but I\u2019ll see you later maybe?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

They parted ways and Carmen headed towards her first class. Sitting in the back seat, she quickly scribbled down a proposal for her project while her teacher droned on about Binomial Theorem. She had lunch with Macy in the cafeteria, pulling a flattened PB&J from her backpack. Her dad used to make these the best, but her mom tried so hard.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, 2pm rolled around and Carmen walked into Ms. Laurier\u2019s class. The bustle of students around her quieted as her teacher began the class. Today, everyone would quickly present their project proposals to get feedback and, if all went well, approval to start the project.<\/span><\/p>\n

When it was Carmen\u2019s turn, she grabbed her scribbled-on looseleaf and stood up nervously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to plant trees,\u201d she said. She tightened her brow as someone in the back row snickered. Clearing her throat, Carmen spoke up.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI want to plant trees around the community in an effort to regain even a small portion of those lost diring the recent clearing of the forest. Our natural resources are not limitless, and extraction of these resources is a practice in natural genocide. We need more collectivism, not individual action. We need sustainable growth, and I want to illustrate this with the growth of trees.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

…<\/span><\/p>\n

After her project was approved, Carmen was given a small budget, provided by the seniors end-of-year fundraiser, to order trees and began making flyers to hand out to business owners in the community, encouraging others to participate. She dug five small holes in the ground and planted two different types of cedars in front of her school, leaving a small orange sign in front that read \u201cTrees for our future.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

By the end of her project, Carmen’s patience was tested several times, but she was inspired several times more. Her carefully built signs were defaced, but paradoxically, this only seemed to increase the support from the community. After two weeks, Carmen had planted twenty-five trees in seven different locations in Cedar Grove. After two weeks, Carmen felt like she had planted the seed of change.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1756,"menu_order":1,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-511","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":508,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/511","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1756"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/511\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2880,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/511\/revisions\/2880"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/508"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/511\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=511"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=511"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=511"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/ccedarrproject\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=511"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}