What’s the new motto? “Be Pre-Scared”?
From Scouting Magazine.org:
The Sustainability merit badge is required for Eagle.
So where do I return my Eagle medal?
What’s the new motto? “Be Pre-Scared”?
From Scouting Magazine.org:
The Sustainability merit badge is required for Eagle.
So where do I return my Eagle medal?
I recently told my wife I had agreed to teach this merit badge at our local merit badge pow wow. Almost immediately she said “now don’t get political!” Unless you limit your focus to just your family and the ramifications of a sustainable family life, how can you NOT get political? We are trying to raise thinking individuals. It’s ok that sustainablity is political. What’s not ok is to tell the scouts what they should think.
Many thoughtful and experienced Scouters planned and implemented this Merit Badge, and you will not find anything in it that is at odds with the core values of Scouting. Those who claim otherwise simply could stand to review what “sustainability” actually means, or review the core aims of Scouting–or based on the content and commentary here–it seems, both.
All the best.
After actually reviewing the requirements for this merit badge, It becomes apparent that there is only one requirement, which is from a “chose one” list, that relates to climate change. The rest of the requirements center more with family waste reduction and reuse/reduce applications, which makes a lot of sense for family cost of living and natural resource conservation. This badge is very much closer to conservation than climate change. – the same with the Leave No Trace Program….
Also, this merit badge is matched up with the Environmental Science Merit Badge, which means that a Scout can choose this merit badge OR the Environmental Science badge.
The titles of these articles are misleading. This merit badge is not required. It is one of two choices that meet the requirement. Don’t like it, don’t earn it, earn the Environmental Science one instead. Since my son has already earned the ES merit badge, I’m not going to fret about this so-called “required” badge.
We will NOT be allowing our scouts to earn this “Crap” patch. We will continue to use Envionormental science MB.
Agreed. When we were scouts, they taught us knot tying, camping, fishing, and making sure to clean up after yourself. How to live with nature, not to back away and study/worship it from afar.
Sorry, I symbolically trashed my scout memorabilia after they made an official decision to ban membership to homosexuals, so I’m out of ways to protest.
As a current Scoutmaster I am disappointed that scouting has caved to political fashion to add the Sustainability merit badge. Fortunately, as noted, no existing worthwhile merit badge is being bumped from the list. It is simply an alternative to the already existing Environmental Science merit badge. The requirements for the new badge have not yet been published, but here are the requirements for the Environmental Science merit badge: http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Environmental_Science
Amplifying Manfred above and borrowing from Dennis Prager (to whom I ought to listen more often) it used to be that Scouting’s attributes and qualities required thought, a degree of humility and was based on facts and time proven virtues. Now it seems they are drifting into what “feels good” and the moral superiority that goes with that.
The central themes associated with Scouting hitherto promoted independence, self-reliance and initiative. Such qualities are all spurned in Green-ecotheocratic doctrine. Their absence are an absolute requirement for indoctrination and collective groupthink.
The Sustainability badge includes learning about climate. When I was a scout we learned about “conservation” — a different concept altogether. Plus, I got an ax — which meant it was okay to chop things down. Looks like in the future, scouts will get a copy of An Inconvenient Truth rather than an ax.
Scouting has always included a strong environmental element. I don’t know that the requirements for this badge will be valid but I’m ready to believe the leadership have considered it carefully.
Reduction of waste in manufacturing is a good stewardship program. So is valid recycling, although a lot of recycling is only feel-good. I’ll hold off on a call on this one.
Scratch another charity to get my money.
So the corrupt government under the guise of the unagenda21-ICLEI has gotten to the Boy Scouts of America. Sad so sad
So, what badge of true merit, accomplishment, and usefulness has been dumped in favor of this? And what becomes of the Scout’s Oath, “On my honor, I will do my best , to do my duty to God and my country, and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”
Sounds like the lefties have infiltrated and corrupted the BSA. Like they have the Episcopal Church.
“green chemistry”
I can help! I’ve got some of that going on in the back of my refrigerator.