Forever Green Take Action Project


To celebrate the 100th Anniversary, Girl Scouts will Take Action by participating in a nationwide project called Girl Scouts Forever Green. Girls around the world are leading their families, schools, and communities in improving the environment and protecting natural resources. Act locally with other girls in a leadership experience while having a huge positive impact on the environment.

Start here by learning more about rain gardens, so you can learn more about our councils chosen take Action project. Then check out the Earth Hour and Reduce Waste Links below for more information about the other two Girl Scout Forever Green projects!

Rain Gardens | Reduce Waste | Earth Hour

Rain Gardens

The Project:

Girl Scouts are building rain gardens, or planted depressions filled with native plants that capture and absorb storm water and serve as functional gardens. You'll learn about, construct, and maintain a rain gardens at school, home, and your friend's homes. The project will:

What is a Rain Garden?

A rain garden is a garden near a runoff source like a building's downspout to capture rainwater before it reaches the sewer system or a stream. Rain gardens also increase green space and improve water quality through infiltration, which reduces pollutants running into our water supplies.

Get Started!

Step 1: Find a site to plant a garden. All you need is an area at the end of a downspout from a building's gutters. If you choose property that is owned by someone in your troop, the property owner needs to purchase the plants. If you choose property of and get permission from a business or an organization, your troop may use their funds to purchase the plants. Email program@gsnwgl.org to tell us where you plan to plant a garden this spring.
Step 2: Click here for the planning guide and additional resources.
Step 3: There is an optional and free training for adults in April. See below to register.
Step 4: Send the link to your troop and their family members to sign the online Girl Scouts Forever Green Pledge. They should forward it to their friends too to spread the word!
Step 5: Plant your garden.
Step 6: Record your accomplishment and purchase your patches! Celebrate!

Timeline

Now through March 2012: Troops decide they want to plant a rain garden and prepare to make it happen. Email: program@gsnwgl.org and let us know where you will be planting a rain garden.
April-May 2012: Girls plant a rain garden with their troop or family.
April-May 2012: Girls submit their individual project results to www.girlscouts.org/gsforevergreen.

Take the Pledge

Take the online Girl Scouts Forever Green Pledge and commit to a year of daily actions to protect our earth and natural resources.

Journeys and Badges

Click here to see how to incorporate the It's Your Planet-Love It! Journey.

Incorporate Girl Scout Badges into your project. Here are some suggested Badges to pursue:
Girl Scout Brownies: Bugs, Money Manager, Household Elf, Sense, Hiker
Girl Scout Juniors: Flowers, Digital Photographer, Scribe, Gardener
Girl Scout Cadettes: Finding Common Ground, Digital Movie Maker
Girl Scout Seniors: Social Innovator, Adventurer
Girl Scout Ambassadors: Photographer, Girl Scout Way, Water

Impact So Far

Even before its official launch, Girl Scouts Forever Green had already accomplished some really important environmental change. In the last three years, Girl Scouts engaged nearly 300,000 girls, families, alumnae, classmates, and friends across the country by participating in one of three Girl Scouts Forever Green options.

Earn the patch

To earn the Girl Scouts Forever Green 100th Anniversary Patch, build a rain garden and log your accomplishment online. Make sure to have each girl and as many members of her family take the online pledge too! Purchase the Girl Scouts Forever Green patches at any Girl Scout Resource Center.

Map It!

Check back here in spring to see where our gardens are planted across the council.

Take MORE Action to make a difference!

Click here to create your own PSA (Public Service Announcement) with Girl Scouts of the USA. Film it, Show it, or Write it but tell your message to others today.

Questions?

Contact the Project Managers at program@gsnwgl.org. Plant the seed with your troop to make a difference, then watch the idea grow.

Reduce Waste

Girl Scouts around the world are learning about the effects of waste on our environment, and discovering ways to reduce waste. Along with your family and friends, you'll switch to using reusable bottles and bags and recycle all your aluminum cans.
GOAL: Reduce the number of discarded single-use plastic bottles and bags and increase aluminum-recycling rates
WHEN: During the month of March or April
HOW: Use reusable water bottles and bags and recycle aluminum cans

The project:

Along with your family and friends, you'll learn about the effects of waste on our environment, reduce the number of discarded single-use plastic bottles and bags, and increase aluminum recycling rates. You'll be working toward lifelong behavior changes by:

Click here for more details: http://girlscouts.org/gsforevergreen/Reduce-Plastic-Waste-Details.asp

Earth Hour

Girl Scouts around the world are learning about saving energy. Along with your family and friends, you'll replace incandescent bulbs with ENERGY STAR qualified (or other energy-efficient) lightbulbs. And don't forget to participate in Earth Hour by turning lights off from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm on Saturday of March 31, 2012.
GOAL: Encourage sustainable behavior change, reduce your CO footprint, and save energy and money
WHEN: The month of March
HOW: Install ENERGY STAR qualified (or other energy-efficient lightbulbs) and participate in Earth Hour

The Project:

During the month of March, you'll engage your families, friends, and neighbors in making small changes that have big a big impact on your CO2 footprint—and also save energy and money. They'll do this by:

For more details click here: http://girlscouts.org/gsforevergreen/Earth-Hour-Details.asp