Earlier this month, the Boy Scouts of America released the requirements for a new Sustainability merit badge. Scouts need to earn this one or the Environmental Science badge in order to become an Eagle Scout, the highest ranking level of Boy Scout.
To get the badge, a scout needs to assess his family’s consumption of resources like water, food, utilities, and transportation and come up with plans to reduce their use. He needs to sketch his vision of a sustainable community and think about how much stuff his family has and whether it’s needed. And he has to spend 10-15 hours reading Grist. OK, that’s not a requirement. But it would probably help!
