World Scout Environment Badge Activities

Report by CSL Anita Muscat
19th July 2014

On Saturday 19th July 2014, The Cubs completed further requirements for the World Scout Environment Badge.

Although water is essential to life, yet water pollution is one of the most serious ecological threats we face today. During the Water Filter activity, a homemade water filter demonstrated how different materials representing geological layers in the Maltese Islands work to create an effective natural filter which helps to clean rainwater water as it seeps down through the water table.

A discussion about "What have I done today?" encouraged the Cubs to reflect on how their actions can have either a positive or a negative effect on the environment. Information about renewable and non-renewable sources of energy, the time taken by different materials to disintegrate and the meaning of bio-degradable and non-degradable materials was also included.

During the "What disaster am I?" activity, the Cubs and their leaders discussed disasters, both natural and those which occur as a result of human action. A series of picture cards depicting different natural disasters were used in a game in which a Cub had to guess the name of 'his disaster'.

Another activity focused on flooding and an experiment demonstrated the effect of sea level rise on low lying land. Words such as global warming, climate change and the greenhouse effect were explained.

Another experiment showed how different materials and colours absorb or reflect heat in a different manner.

The meeting proved to be a very interesting and informative one and gave the Cubs ample time to discuss how we all interact with our environment and what we can do to safeguard it.