Adventures of Max and Voltaire™

… how embracing both the familiar and the different can make our lives interesting and rewarding.  Messages about making new friends, adapting to change, fostering tolerance, lending a helping hand, and getting along with others are gently handled through the eyes of Max (a cat) and Voltaire (a dog) with a supporting cast of furry friends and bipeds.  Their touching and humorous adventures in France and other countries challenge us to think about how special every day can be and that no matter how bad a situation is, it can change for the better.

Max and Voltaire live with Madame Rosemarie in Ferney-Voltaire, France.
To find out more about them click here !

Copyright, 2014-2016, Mina Mauerstein Bail, All Rights Reserved

Max and Voltaire™
TALK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT

“Hey Max,” says Voltaire.  “Why is Madame Rosemarie taking all those empty wine bottles out to her vegetable garden?”

“I don’t know” replies Max.  “ Let’s find out.”

“It looks like she is making a garden border with her empty wine bottles,” says Voltaire.  “Madame Rosemarie likes to drink wine so she has lots of wine bottles.”

“That’s a great idea,” states Max.  “Not only is she making her garden pretty but she is also doing something important for our environment.”

“Why is putting wine bottles into the ground important for our environment?” asks Voltaire.

“She is putting the 3R’s into practice,” answers Max.

“What are the 3R’s?” asks Voltaire.

“The 3R’s stand for Reduce, Resuse and Recycle,” explains Max.  “When we reuse things, we reduce waste and that’s good for the environment.  When Madame Rosemarie uses empty wine bottles to make a garden border she is recycling the wine bottles and using them for another purpose. “

“I see,” says Voltaire.  “I have to do something now so I will see you later.”

“Where are you going?” asks Max.

“I’m going to find my dog grooming brush and bring it to Madame Rosemarie so she can groom me,” replies Voltaire.  “After Madame Rosemarie brushes me she takes the fur from the grooming brush and leaves it for the birds who use it to build their nests.  So,  I am going to recycle some of my fur and help to protect the environment.  We should all do our part.”

Max and Voltaire™
TALK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT

“Hey Voltaire,” says Max.  “What’s up?”

“I was just thinking,” replies Voltaire.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Water,” answers Voltaire.

“Are you thirsty?”  asks Max.

“No, I just had a drink of water.”  “I was listening to the radio this morning and I heard a woman talking about water.”

“What did she say?”  asks Max.

“She said lots of things,” says Voltaire.  “Did you know that without water there would be no life on earth?”

“Wow”, replies Max.  “So without water there would be no people, no cats or dogs or plants.

“That’s right,” replies Voltaire.  “There would be no streams or lakes and I couldn’t go for a swim.  You know how much I like to swim.”

“I thought there was lots of water on Earth,” says Max.

“The lady on the radio said that most of the water on Earth is salty and that there is only a small amount that is fresh and safe to drink, to bathe in or to water crops.”

“I didn’t know that,” says Max.

“She also said that millions and millions of people around the world don’t have safe drinking water.”  “Millions of people of all ages get sick from drinking bad water.”

“That’s a lot of people,” says Max.  “If so many people don’t have safe drinking water, it means that lots of animals don’t have safe drinking water either.  I feel sorry for all of those people and animals.  Can you imagine being thirsty and not having any water to drink  or having to drink water that can make you sick?  “This means that it is very important to take good care of the fresh water we do have.”

Max and Voltaire™
TALK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT

“Hey Max,” says Voltaire.  “What are you doing?”

“I’m thinking,” replies Max.

“What are you thinking about,” asks Voltaire.

“I was just thinking about how some things can be both good and bad,” answers Max.

“What do you mean by that?” asks Voltaire.

“Well, I was in the kitchen with Madame Rosemarie this morning while she was cleaning up after breakfast and she was listening to the radio,” says Max.  “She was listening to a program about agriculture.  Without agriculture there would be no food, no plants, and lots of other things.  So agriculture is good.  But some kinds of agricultural practices like industrial farms that use chemical fertilizers and pesticides are hurting our environment as well as the heath of people and animals.  So agriculture can also be bad.”

“But I have heard people say that agriculture is a noble profession,” says Voltaire.  “What can be done to make sure that agriculture is more of a good thing than a bad thing?”

“There are in fact many agricultural practices that do not harm the environment and keep people and animals safe,” replies Max.  “The people on the radio talked about the importance of avoiding the use of chemical pesticides and instead using biological pest control methods, using organic fertilizers and sharing information with farmers about all of the specific things they can do to make agriculture a good thing.  Some farmers are already using good agricultural practices.”

“That’s good news,” says Voltaire.  “So people know what to do.”

“Yes,” says Max.  “But, sometimes knowing and doing are not easy.”

“Maybe reminding more people about bad agricultural practices can encourage them to use good agricultural practices,” says Voltaire.  “If lots and lots of people work together and support each other I am sure that they can make agriculture a good thing.”

Max and Voltaire™
TALK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT

“Look Max,” says Voltaire, gazing upwards with a sense of awe.  “That certainly is an impressive rock.”

“It’s the highest mountain in the Alps and in Western Europe,” replies Max.  “It’s  located between two countries – France and Italy.  In France, they call the mountain Mont Blanc and in Italy they call it Monte Bianco.  It means ‘white mountain’ in both languages because it is always covered in snow and ice.

“I’m glad Madame Rosemarie*  brought us along on her visit to Chamonix,” says Voltaire.  “The town is surrounded by magnificent trees and  mountains.  It’s beautiful up here.”

“Did you know that there is a long tunnel under Mont Blanc?” asks Max.

“No, I didn’t”, replies Voltaire.  “I wonder why they built a tunnel under a mountain?”

“It’s a highway tunnel for cars and trucks,” explains Max.  “It’s used to transport people and goods.  But, all the cars and especially the large trucks give off toxic fumes  or gases that are bad for people and the environment.  Dirty air can make humans, animals and plants sick.  Chamonix has very high levels of air pollution.”

“That’s very sad,” says Voltaire.  “I hope it will be possible to do something to clean up the air around here.  It not, I wonder what will happen to all of the people, animals and plants that live in this pretty place.  Maybe they will all move away to avoid getting sick. No one will want to visit Chamonix anymore. “

“We must be optimistic,” replies Max.  “I believe that people will do what is necessary to get rid of the pollution.  We all have a right to breathe clean air.”