{"id":5570,"date":"2021-06-09T07:00:01","date_gmt":"2021-06-09T12:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/totscouting.org\/how-to-be-a-zero-waste-scout-troop\/"},"modified":"2021-06-09T07:00:01","modified_gmt":"2021-06-09T12:00:01","slug":"how-to-be-a-zero-waste-scout-troop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/totscouting.org\/how-to-be-a-zero-waste-scout-troop\/","title":{"rendered":"How to be a zero-waste Scout troop"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/p>\n

Scouts are the ultimate planet protectors.<\/p>\n

We use public lands responsibly. We pick up litter left behind by strangers. We volunteer our time for service projects that improve trails, control erosion and protect animals.<\/p>\n

These efforts are laudable, but we should ask ourselves whether we can do more. Just like the Scouting advancement trail includes goals that are progressively more difficult as a young person works toward the Eagle Scout Award, our efforts toward conservation can (and perhaps should) get more intense as our troop\u2019s daily practices become refined.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, here\u2019s one for troops that are up for a true challenge \u2014 a change with significant stakes for our planet. Consider taking steps toward becoming a zero-waste Scout troop.<\/p>\n

What is zero waste?<\/h2>\n

The concept of \u201czero waste\u201d has many definitions<\/a>, and its goals include changes that begin far beyond the scope of an individual Scout troop. For example, many businesses are striving for greener manufacturing processes and more environmentally friendly packaging.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s plenty that can be done at the troop level, too.<\/p>\n

Simply put, a zero-waste Scout troop is one that does as much as it can to eliminate trash output during weekly meetings, weekend campouts and weeklong trips.<\/p>\n

Before we get into the specific tips, please take note of the careful phrasing in the previous sentence \u2014 specifically the bit about a troop doing \u201cas much as it can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Your troop\u2019s shift to the zero-waste lifestyle won\u2019t happen overnight. It\u2019s best approached by taking small steps rather than trying to do everything at once.<\/p>\n

The term \u201czero waste\u201d can be a bit misleading, because you shouldn\u2019t approach this change as an all-or-nothing proposition. Your troop can make an impact even if it never reaches absolute zero.<\/p>\n

Even the greenest companies and most successful zero-waste bloggers haven\u2019t completely stopped adding to their local landfills. But they\u2019re doing as much as they can, and it\u2019s making a difference. (As a bonus, zero-waste efforts also save money.)<\/p>\n

By incorporating some of the ideas below, your troop will be making a difference (and saving money), too.<\/p>\n

\"\"
W. Garth Dowling\/BSA file photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Zero-waste troop meetings<\/h2>\n

Your weekly troop meeting might last only 60 to 90 minutes, but all that time adds up over the course of a year. All that trash adds up, too. Are there ways to reduce waste during meetings?<\/p>\n

Green<\/strong><\/p>\n