A seven-year-old girl has launched a petition asking Crayola UK to make its colouring pens recyclable.
Jessie Stephenson, who has a passion for art, recently became upset when she discovered her favourite pens could not be recycled.
The schoolgirl, from Brockley, London, decided to write to Crayola UK in a bid to encourage the handicraft company to consider how its customers can dispose of their used pens without impacting the environment.
Stephenson also launched a Change.org petition with a goal of hitting 75,000 signatures.
“I really love using Crayola pens but I don’t want to use them now that I know the impact on the environment,” Stephenson wrote in the petition.
“I care about the environment because we live here and if we wreck it, we won’t get a second chance.”
She continued: “I think if everyone tries to do something little, we can make a better world for us to live in.
“Please Crayola will you introduce a pen recycling scheme in the UK, like you have in America. Then we can carry on colouring in without feeling guilty!”
Stephenson’s petition has quickly racked up 70,000 signatures and prompted Crayola UK to respond with a letter.
However, Stephenson was not happy with the company’s reply, which failed to acknowledge her request for a meeting.
She has since published a short video in which she encourages more people to sign the petition and force Crayola UK to implement change.
“I wrote to Crayola to ask them to start recycling pens and to meet with me to talk about it,” Stephenson said.
“They sent me a letter back but I am not happy. They are not promising anything and ignored that I want to meet with them.
“But I am not giving up! Please will you share this video so we can show Crayola how much it means to us and get more people to sign.”
The young girl’s headteacher, Sue Harte, has praised her determination, adding that the entire school is proud to support Stephenson’s cause.
“I am absolutely delighted that Jessie has been so motivated to do this petition to convince Crayola start recycling in the UK,” Harte said.
“How wonderful that such a young child has the awareness and the drive to do something to make the world better and the support for her has been fantastic.
“We are very proud as a school to be totally supporting Jessie’s petition.”
MP Vicky Foxcroft has also given her support to Jessie’s campaign, saying: ”Climate change is one of the main issues young people contact me about.
“It’s their future they are worried about and it’s great to see them lobbying for change.”
The Independent has contacted Crayola UK for comment.
