This is Rui.

Rui is a kid like you.

Rui likes to play with their friends, get new things, and spend time outside in nature, just like you. 

But lately, it’s been getting too hot to go outside, and Rui doesn’t know why.

In school, Rui learns that the weather is extra hot because of climate change. “What is climate change?” Rui asks.

“The climate has changed a lot over time because of human activity that harms the planet, like cutting down forests and burning fossil fuels,” their teacher says. “When we burn fossil fuels, we make the Earth hot, and right now, it's hotter than it's ever been before.”

"Then why do we burn them?" Rui asks.

“People use fossil fuels to run things,” their teacher says. “The gas in our cars, the electricity in our homes and the pollution from factories are all from fossil fuels.

The problem is that we are using up too many too fast to make too many things we don’t need, and every time we use them, the Earth gets hotter.” 

Rui learns that people who live in countries with more wealth add to this problem the most, while people in countries with less wealth add to this problem the least, but are affected the most. 

Rui also learns that less wealthy people in wealthy countries are affected the most by this problem.

“What can we do?” Rui asks.

“We can start by using and buying less, and reusing and sharing more,” their teacher says. “The less we make, and the more we use what we already have, the less stress we put on the planet.”

Rui thought about this. They looked at their favorite toy truck. It was a little beat-up from wear, and they had hoped to ask their parents for a new truck for their birthday. Now, they weren’t so sure.

“Does that mean we shouldn’t ever get new stuff?” Rui asked.

“Well, what does it mean for something to be new?” their teacher asks. “Something that is old to someone else can be new to you. 

What’s more, sometimes we can turn our old things into new things for ourselves, or we can gift our old things as new things to others.”

Their teacher showed the class a photo. It was a photo of her, her mother, and a couch.

“This couch was given to me by my mother, it was given to her by her mother before then, and it was given to her mother by a dear friend,” their teacher said. “When I don’t need this couch anymore, I will give it to someone else.”

        --

Rui wanted to think of ways that they could turn their old things into new things. They realized that they had many toys they didn’t play with anymore, and they knew other kids in the neighborhood would want to play with them.

Other kids in the neighborhood probably had toys they didn’t play with anymore that they would be okay with giving to someone else.

Adults, too, Rui realized. Adults all had so many things, why couldn’t they share all those things with one another instead of buying new things?

Rui wanted to get their community in on buying less, sharing more, and turning old things into new things. But some members of their community didn’t understand why they should use things that were used by other people.

“Why should I use something old when I could just buy something new?” Rui’s aunt asked.

“These things aren't old!” Rui said. “They’re loved.”

“They work great, they’ve been used by someone you know, and you use up less energy getting things that have already been used than by buying things that are new.

If I share things with my friend, we can use two times less the energy.

If I share things with two friends, we all each use three times less the energy.

If I share things with five other friends, we all each use six times less the energy!”

“Well, I need a new blender,” Rui’s aunt says. “Mine broke yesterday.”

Rui thought about it. They knew that their classmate’s parents owned a smoothie shop downtown, and they may have extra blenders that Rui’s aunt could use.

At school, Rui asked their friends if their parents had blenders.

“Yes we do!” Rui’s friend, Sarah, said. “We have a bunch we don’t use anymore that were given to my mom and dad for good luck when they first started their shop. 

We have a bunch of other kitchen tools too, from when my parents tried to sell other things besides smoothies.”

“Maybe other people need kitchen things too!” Rui realized.

“My parents also have a bunch of things in our house that they don’t use,” Rui’s friend, Kati chimed in. “They went through a lot of outdoor sports phases.”

“Do all your parents have things they don’t use anymore?” Rui asked their classmates. 

“We have a bunch of furniture that my grandparents passed on to us,” one classmate said.

“Our house has too many plants!” another classmate said. “My parents keep collecting them, and we have no space in our house.”

“What if we hosted a community giving day?” Rui said. “Everyone could bring their old things to give to other people as new things, and they could tell stories about the good times they’ve had with them.”

So Rui and their classmates planned for a community day of giving.

They went to their neighbors’ houses, asking if there were things they didn’t use or needed to get rid of, that other people would enjoy using.

When the day came, Rui and their classmates helped set up tables, chairs, and music.