Spreading Kindness and Awareness: How Two Fifth Graders Are Helping Conserve the Amazon
February 26, 2025
Kindness comes in many forms, and for 11-year-old sisters Muriel and Madeline, kindness meant taking action for the Amazon Rainforest. As part of a school project about kindness, they combined their passion for the environment with a simple but effective fundraising idea: a bake sale.
Madeline and Muriel, both fifth graders in San Diego, CA, organized a bake sale to raise awareness about the prevalence of palm oil and its impact on deforestation in the Amazon. They didn’t just sell cookies; they also shared educational materials about palm oil, such as listing common foods that contain it, the names it can be disguised as, and explaining how it contributes to environmental destruction. Their hard work paid off, raising an impressive $518, which they donated to Amazon Conservation to further counter deforestation’s impacts.
For Muriel and Madeline, supporting the Amazon was an easy decision. Through school and their own reading and research, they became deeply aware of the rainforest’s role in our planet’s health. They learned that the Amazon produces 20% of the Earth’s oxygen, stores vast amounts of carbon, and sustains its own rainfall, making its preservation crucial in the fight against climate change.
“We always knew we wanted to do something for the Amazon because of how quickly it’s being destroyed,” Madeline explained. Muriel agreed, “We decided, ‘Let’s help fix it! And let’s make cookies too because cookies are fun, and we think we can get more donations with cookies.’”
After organizing the bake sale, the sisters’ experience opened their eyes to how much people care and were interested in learning when given the chance. Many people were surprised by how much palm oil can be found in all kinds of food that they were unaware of, but they weren’t surprised that so many people didn’t realize how common it is. Muriel explained, “It’s not like the [companies] using palm oil want them to know this!”
A Message of Hope and Call to Action
While they want everyone to be aware of environmental harm and that it’s not all rainbows and butterflies, Madeline and Muriel believe that anyone can make a difference, no matter their age or resources. Their advice? Madeline recommends, “If you have the time and resources, then it makes sense to do it. But you don’t have to have a lot of time or resources; you can just organize a penny drive and ask people to donate five cents. That’s something.”
Muriel agrees and wishes more people took action: “Why aren’t people doing something about it!? They can! Since a ton of people aren’t doing something about it, these 10-year-old kids had to go and make cookies.”
They also emphasize small but meaningful changes, like choosing Rainforest Alliance-approved products, supporting companies that participate in 1% for the Planet, and reducing beef consumption, as much of it comes from deforested land.
Through their kindness, determination, and commitment to raising awareness, these two young activists prove that even small efforts can make a significant impact. Their story is an inspiring reminder that when people take the time to care, change is possible—one cookie at a time.
Loading...
