Eco Scouts – The Time is Now
David Orr – Environmentalist – “It’s all hands’ on deck time”
By Char Tara Albert – 772-539-2275
Email Char Tara or use the Contact form
The need for parents to raise eco-aware children to live in the Garden of Wow has never been greater. Eco Scouts embraces the concept of a union of youth with a raised level of ecological awareness and enhanced skills for working as a team to protect earth. Young people can ensure their future by learning about world-wide ecological needs and biodiversity. Central to this idea are ways that parents can encourage eco-activities. For instance, it can be a focus within a family to watch and discuss at home and through various media channels, activities that may be threatening to the environment. From this basis of eco-awareness, youth are motivated to offer their bright ideas on how to resolve tough challenges. Empowerment begins when we are young and believe that our ideas count.
Mission Statement:
We unite to coordinate and mobilize worldwide eco-renewal and biodiversity.
Pledge of Honor to the Oceans
I pledge allegiance to the Sea of the United Nations of Earth and to the eco-renewal and biodiversity for which we stand. We recognize one planet and one connected ocean, undivided by creed, race, status, sex or economic measures. Courageously we stand, joyously we work, and intelligently we watch and report on activities affecting our precious and shared natural resources. In the Co-creation Circle, we are ever grateful for our beautiful earth and all living creatures whom we serve equally. In this spirit of appreciation and enthusiasm, we dedicate our thoughts, words and deeds for the health, happiness and harmony of all life.
I was a working mom while I raised three boys, so I know the demands can be overwhelming. However, busy parents can raise eco-aware children if they realize the importance of dedicating the time for the task. The transformative process begins with the parents caring about the earth and being clear about their own areas of ecological interests. For me, some of my main interests are oceanic health, protecting our pollinators and growing organic food.
Eco Issue #1: Oceanic Health
https://www.theoceancleanup.com/great-pacific-garbage-patch/ One of the greatest threats to the ecology is the mass of plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP). Originally estimated to be approximately 80,000 tons, but now realized to be 4-16 times more than previous calculations. This plastic weight is also equivalent to that of 500 Jumbo Jets. Located halfway between California and Hawaii, the dump contains both larger plastics and microplastics which wind up being ingested by marine life with devastating results.
We can help by learning:
https://www.5gyres.org The 5 Gyres* Institute was first to research plastic pollution in all 5 main subtropical gyres. Their study identifying plastic microbeads led to the United States federal ban. Their “North Star Goal” is to stop the flow of plastic from source to sea by 2028.
*In Oceanography, a gyre is a ring-like system of ocean currents rotating clockwise in the Northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
We can reduce plastics entering the ocean by:
- Replace plastic shopping bags with reusable bags
- Use glass or metal containers rather than sandwich and freezer bags
- Use reusable lunch boxes and pouches
- Refill your own glass or metal water bottles rather than buying water in plastic
- Bring your own to-go mug to coffee shops and restaurants
- Avoid single-serving packaging, excess packaging and other disposable plastics
- Recycle
- Ban microbeads by avoiding products containing the words, POLY or NYLON in the ingredient list.
- Pick up trash you come across and volunteer at park or beach sweeps.
