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Puns to save the planet
Trudy Palmer
What do puns have to do with the environment? Lots, if you are rising fifth grader Merwan Robinson, who spent his summer writing, illustrating, and publishing 鈥� with help from his parents 鈥� the two-book series 鈥淢artha鈥檚 Vineyard Puns to Bring a Smile.鈥�
His primary goal is to 鈥渟tart a PUN-demic where healing smiles are spread around the planet.鈥�
But many of the illustrations and puns suggest a second goal, saving the planet. For example: 鈥淥ur oceans deserve better protection. They are so kind and always wave.鈥�
Earnest and animated, Merwan tells me what he鈥檚 learned 鈥� out of curiosity, not as part of his home schooling 鈥� about the , where the 濒颈惫别蝉.听
The information is 鈥渁 little bit scary and maybe a bit creepy,鈥� he warns, before explaining how the shark 鈥渃an extend a jaw and snap the prey.鈥�
Why does this matter? In a word, hope.
Though he鈥檚 barely 10, Merwan is already pitching in to protect the environment. After completing the books, he and his father, Walter Robinson, met with Collin Ward, assistant scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, to introduce the idea of a puppet show using Merwan鈥檚 sea creatures to educate children about the ocean.
His message isn鈥檛 just for kids, though. In fact, Merwan and his dad are hoping that, through a friend, the books reach former President Barack Obama, who recently celebrated his 60th birthday on Martha鈥檚 Vineyard, a Massachusetts island.聽
Speaking to everyone from preschoolers to presidents, on behalf of 鈥淧ure Seas the Sea Horse,鈥� one of his sculptures, Merwan urges, 鈥溾�楽ea鈥� if you might please kindly help 鈥楶ure Seas鈥� during this critical 鈥榮ea鈥�-son of planet earth鈥檚 history to 鈥榮ea鈥�-lect the best conservation choices for our oceans so they continue to happily wave to us in the future!鈥�
