It could be to help the environment or they don’t have enough money for another alternative.
Indicates a state of reality.
Indicative verbs state what is going on at that moment, or what could very possibly happen.
e.g "I run through the forest".
No this isn't third person it is first, this is known because you know what the kids thoughts are and it keeps repeating what he is doing in his point of view and the word ' I ' keeps showing up so this is in first person