It’s Your Community, Your World, Your Choice.
Want to help improve your community? Design and lead a project that achieves results? Work with civic and government leaders? TAKE ACTION
Girl Scouts are harnessing the power of the environmental movement by engaging in a nationwide, annual, signature Community Action Project, focused on making a significant impact on the environment. Girl Scouts will be at the forefront of environmental sustainability, leading schools and communities in using resources wisely.
GSCTX has been chosen by Girl Scouts of the
What kind of change?
Green projects designed and led by girls in the focus areas of air, waste management, water energy or green space.
- Start a recycling program at school to reduce waste and environmental impact
- Plant shrubs and bushes in a public space to improve outdoor air quality
- Install low-flow faucets in your school to conserve water
- What’s on your mind?
GSCTX’ Girl Scouts Forever Green Community Action Project is a year-long project that will help girls design and achieve an environmental project of their choice. Girls will:
- Work as a troop or individually towards earning her Gold or Silver Award
- Receive trainings on key skills needed to effect change on a community issue
- Achieve measurable results
Please read the Program Booklet* for complete information about the Girl Scouts Forever Green program and before filling out your application form. Projects must be completed by June 15th, 2010. Applications will be accepted until April 15th, 2010.
We look forward to reading your applications, to see what specific environmental projects are important to you! After the application deadline, we will review all applications and select 5-15 troops and 5-10 Bronze, Silver or Gold Award candidates to participate in the pilot Girl Scouts Forever Green program. Selected troops and individuals who complete project requirements will be receive a patch and certificate and will be recognized by GSCTX and the local media.
Email for more information.
* This is a large PDF and may be slow to download. Please be patient.
Forever Green at Earth Day: April 21, Travis County
Don’t miss out on the fun at the Earth Day Festival Kids’ Corner! Learn about the Edwards Aquifer, how composting works, the importance of recycling, and gardening with native plants through hand-on demonstrations and activities. Explore what other kids are doing to help protect our planet and come up with your own solutions. Other activities will include face-painting, story-time, and arts and crafts made from recycled materials! Kids will also get to plant an herb to take home with them.
Happening Now
Girl Scouts in Central Texas didn't waste any time starting on their Forever Green projects. Read about the projects below to be inspired as you begin your project!
Rachel Z. has researched purple martins, an endangered native bird whose presence can greatly reduce mosquito populations therefore reducing the need for pesticides. Working with Gullet Elementary, Rachel has learned to build purple martin houses which simulate their natural habitats. She hopes to involve the students in placing these houses around the campus and share information regarding the birds with the students using an informational brochure she put together.- Girl Scout Brownie Troop 676 has organized a “Battery Recycling Brigade” with the mission of starting a battery recycling program at Canyon Creek Elementary. They have learned that properly disposing of batteries can eliminate the harmful waste of the chemicals found inside that would otherwise end up in the soil, air, groundwater and surface water when they are thrown in the landfill. They are educating their neighbors, classmates and peers and enabling them to recycle their batteries responsibly.
- A group of Girl Scout Cadettes from Clint Small Middle School are starting a sustainable aluminum and plastic recycling program at their school. Partnering with their science teachers and Keep Austin Beautiful, they want to market their recycling campaign by creating a series of videos and informational resources that raise awareness of the impact recycling can have on the environment. The science classes at Clint Small Middle School will be directly incorporated into the project measuring the amount of waste deferred by this recycling program.
- Project Breathe Green is an effort by Girl Scout Brownie Troop 250 to install a garden and greenway at Faith Methodist Church, where they meet as a troop. Working with Tree Folks and local botanists and landscape professionals, they are planting native plant species that will not require much water but that will help absorb some of the carbon dioxide emitted by the cars passing the church on nearby South Lamar.
- The Eco Ranger project was developed by Sarah Y. and Joanna C. of Troop 1113 and consists of a series of day camps for younger kids followed by a service project in the afternoon that is geared for the entire family. Service projects will include e-waste collection on the day after Black Friday, invasive species removal, creek clean up, creek restoration and native plant landscape for the American Red Cross. They are working in conjunction with a number of local nonprofits and youth organizations including the Discover Green, City of Austin, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the Baha’i Spiritual Assembly, 4-H, Young Environmental Leaders, Kids Care Clubs, Roots to Shoots, Do Something, and Tree Folks to host these environmental education camps.
- The GSCTX Forever Green Gardening Interest Group The Garden Interest group is growing a vegetable garden at Camp Howdy. The girls are working on creating a sustainable organic garden that gives back to the land rather than takes from it. They are learning the science behind plant growth by getting the soil ready, deciding what vegetable to grow, planting and harvesting their vegetables. They hope to produce enough vegetables to donate some to the local church pantries.
