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Scouts and Chilly Moose teaming up for our Planet

Scouts for Sustainability X Chilly Moose Contest

We might not be able to change the world on our own, but we can certainly make a positive difference when we work together. 

Since the launch of our partnership with our friends at Chilly Moose, in the spring of 2022, we have been able to increase the support given to our Scouting Groups in incorporating the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) into their weekly programming. 

By sharing their activities and projects with the at-large Scouting community, Scouts sections were eligible to win some Chilly Moose gear to help support their various outdoor adventures.

We are pleased to share with you the difference that Scouting Groups have been making around us with their projects. We have been so impressed and delighted to see the impact Scouts are having in their communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast. We also feel so privileged to be able to do our part and to support Scouts’ vision of Canadian youth making a meaningful contribution to creating a better world.

Here are our Fall 2022 winning groups, including the three Grand Prize Winners, and their SDG-related activities. Stay tuned for the new 2023 Spring edition!

Winning Groups — Round 1

Grand Prize Winners (Received $1,200 in Chilly Moose gear)

Yellow Fish Project

Participants learnt about the impact of pollution and what steps they can take to protect their local water. Then, they did their part by painting yellow fish symbols with the words ‘Rain Only’ by more than 60 storm drains and also distributed informative fish-shaped brochures to nearby households reminding people that ‘Only Rain Goes Down the Drain’.

Goal #14 – Life below water

The Scouts Group sent out a call to their members and friends in response to an appeal for clothing and toiletries for the Ukrainian refugees in their community. The group was overwhelmed by the number of people who answered their call. The items were brought home and sorted into gender and size. A local storage spot was found after the initial community member could not store all the donations at home.

Goal #10 – Reduced inequalities

Community Garden Partnership

“We are so excited to be a part of this partnership! Not only will our Group continue to provide fresh vegetables for the foodbank but also, this year, we will be working alongside ACSA's team that runs programs for young families - teaching them about gardening and other amazing outdoor skills.” The 22nd Markham Group completed the garden beds on May 21st and 22nd 2022 to lay the foundation of this impressive and valuable collaborative project.

Goal #1 – No poverty 
Goal # 2 – Zero Hunger
Goal #11 – Sustainable communities 

Build a Bridge - DaVinci Bridges

All the youth in the 19th Chatham Group learned about various components found in bridges (compression members, tension members, diagonal bracing, truss chords) using a popsicle stick model built by one of the youth (and previously tested in an competition held by Professional Engineers Ontario to hold 143 lbs). The youth then had an opportunity to construct DaVinci Bridges and learn how the structure gets its stability through friction and internal forces. This unique design is held together by its own weight without requiring any ties or connections. Da Vinci called it “The Bridge of Safety”. Everyone had a great time! 

Goal #9 – Industry, innovation and infrastructure 

More Scouting Groups making a Meaningful Contribution in their Communities (received $600 in Chilly Moose gear)

The 19th Chatham Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Venturers were working towards their Sustainability Bronze badge by cleaning up the beach but also spending time looking for microplastics, learning about what it is and their effects on the life under water. The Scouters were staying on the shoreline for safety, and youth and parent volunteers were on the beach exploring and investigating. 

While on an exchange trip with another youth organization, the 1st Orillia Venturers decided to give back to their host community by making individual meals of lasagna and salad, and with the support of the community delivered hot meals to local hamlet elders.

Goal #3 – Good Health and Well-Being 
Goal # 10 Reduced inequalities 

The 1st Strathroy Colony participated in Clothing 4 Climate Challenge learning about the impact the clothing industry has on Climate Challenge by Let’s Talk Science. During the first part of the activity, the youth learned about ways to prevent clothing from going to the landfills. Then, using old clothing which was too damaged to be donated, the Beavers created Easter Centerpieces for local Long Term Care Residents to share some holiday joy.

Goal #13 – Climate Action

“Protecting the environment, making the world around us a better place to live in, is an integral part of Scouting and our Scouts knew exactly what had to be done on their part to clean up the park and to make the hikes on the trail enjoyable for others as well. During our Fall hike, the Scouts came prepared to clean up the trail along the way! They did their best to preserve the beauty of the Fall leaves and to reduce the waste lying around.” Way to go Scouts! 

The Cubs investigated an urban forest area to learn more about the benefits of trees for urban life and communities, to understand diversity and to learn the names of different native trees. As part of this project, the cubs also went on a hike in the Royal Oak park, took part in a litter chase, a scavenger hunt for tree identification as well as a litter removal of the area. At the end of the meetings, the Cubs shared their findings, nuts, seeds, leaves with their pack.

Goal #11 – Sustainable Communities 
Goal #15 – Life on Land

The Beavers had learned about the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and picked a project to tackle Goal #1 No poverty. They collected all the items a family would need to throw a birthday party (cake mix, icing, party decorations, etc.) and a birthday bag to put it in that a family could then use for a gift. The items were then donated to our local youth center which supports young families. The Beavers wanted to ensure that every child can have a nice birthday party. 

The Kemptville Beaver Group created sustainable insect hotels using natural materials such as grasses, leaves, moss, pinecones, and twigs. Before starting their creations, they learned the importance of insects in our world and enjoyed creating resting spots and safe havens for pollinators such as bees and other busy bugs. Great work Beavers! 

Goal # 13 – Climate Action
Goal #15 – Life on Land 
Goal # 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production

The Strathmore Scouting Group heard about some of the challenges the bat population was facing and wanted to make a difference. Using carpentry skills, the group built two bat houses to install in the Voyageur Provincial Park and the City of Dorval. Aside from learning about the critical situation with bats, the Cub Scouts learnt how to use power tools and do caulking and sanding - all in a safe manner. 

The youth in the 1st West Heights Cub Pack in Mission BC also wanted to help the bat population (clearly our Scouting youth care deeply about those little creatures). The youth spent a day building bat boxes and discussing the importance of bats for our eco system.

Goal # 13 – Climate Action
Goal #15 – Life on Land 

Interactive Map

Are you making a world of difference in your community? Share your service projects or positive actions on this interactive map! It’s a great way to document your successes and also see the impact others are having from coast-to-coast-to-coast. 

We’re all in this together!  With your support and involvement, the Scouts for Sustainability program and Million Footprints campaign can help us take steps towards bettering the world and building a brighter future for all. 

 

Filter for your area to see the actions other groups and sections are taking!

Submit Activity

Activity Ideas

Need ideas? Take a look at these three activities for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that Scouts across the country are already doing! How can you challenge yourself and others to take the next step and contribute to a better world, and how might your Group connect these activities to other Goals as well?

Responsible Consumption and Production

As humans, we use the green space around us all the time: as farmland, for recreation and for so many other things! Sometimes, we damage these lands by mistake, and too much damage might harm them forever. Learn about ways that we can keep these spaces clean (and green!) as you learn about how we as humans create waste and what we can do to help keep forests green! World Clean Up Day is September 17th. That being said, you can help clean up the earth any day. 

 

PILE OF TRASH

How much waste do you create in day? What about in a weekend at camp? Collect your garbage over a period of time and track how much you created – was it more or less than you expected? What can you do to make less garbage? 

VIEW ACTIVITY

LANDFILL IN A BOTTLE

As humans, we can create a lot of garbage, but not everyone knows what happens to our garbage after it is brought to a landfill. Try this STEM activity and learn about how different things decompose (break down) and get an idea of what happens at a landfill! 

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Zero Hunger

How do you interact with trees? What do trees provide for us? They give us oxygen and create shade, they give us wood and food. What would we do without trees? This year,  National Forest Week is from Sept. 18-24th and National Tree Day is on Sept. 21st. 

 

APPLE OF YOUR EYE

Fall is a great time for spending some time with trees – especially since it’s apple-picking season! With your family or Section, visit and orchard and pick your own apples.

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CLOSE CROP

Trees make more than just apples – do you know of any other food that grows on trees near you? Learn more about what foods come from local trees and help to reduce waste – help harvest fruit trees near you!

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Life Below Water/Life on Land

Trees are a crucial part of our ecosystem! This year, for National Tree Day (Sept. 21) and National Forest Week (Sept. 18-24), take action in your local ecosystem and learn more about what you can do to help keep trees and other local plants healthy! 

 

HEROS FOR PLANT HEALTH

Be a Hero for Plant Health! Did you know that trees can be sick just like people? Sometimes, pests like bugs can make trees sick. Learn more about what pests can contribute to poor health for trees. How can you use this information to help trees in your community? 

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BE AN ENTOMOLOGIST

Have a positive impact on the trees around you and run a bio blitz focused on finding (and potentially eliminating) invasive species in your area. 

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PREVENT A WILDFIRE

On average, 2.5 million hectares of land is burned in Canada each year, many of which are forested areas. Wildfires can be caused by lightning strikes, but human activity is responsible for 55% of fires. Learn more about what you can do to prevent a wildfire and take action in your community! 

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TREE SCAVENGER HUNT

Get familiar with the trees in your neighbourhood and go on a tree scavenger hunt! Did you find any special trees or any species that surprised you? 

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Sometimes, it’s human activity that causes damage to trails, forests or other natural spaces, but sometimes factors like weather or animals may also play a role. Help keep a local trail in the best shape possible by picking up litter, moving deadfall or even clearing new parts of a trail. 

 

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How much do you know about water? Do you know how much water we require in our everyday lives? Learn more about the important role water plays in our day to day life and small changes that can help to reduce that amount!

 

LEAK DETECTIVE

Discover where you might be using more water than you think as you become a household leak detective.

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THIRSTY FOOD

What did you eat today? Do you know how much water was needed to make each of your meals? The water required to make a meal is more than just how much you added — plants and animals need water to grow before you can eat them — and some need more than others. Learn about how much water your food needs.

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THE FUTURE OF WATER

Knowing how much water is required in our daily lives, let’s think about what changes can be made in the long term to use less water — if you could do anything to change how we use water, what would you do?

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Have you ever heard the phrase “think global, act local,”? It’s a way to approach problems in the world – while thinking on a global scale, we act in our own communities to make a difference. It may not seem like we’re impacting the whole world, but by making a positive difference in our communities, we’re making change for the better. 

 

CITIZEN SCIENTIST

Become a citizen scientist. Scientists rely on data from everyday people to study populations of plants and animals. Get involved in tracking local species or participate in an event like a bioblitz or bird count. 

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IN MY BACK YARD

Invasive species pose a danger to native species across Canada and sometimes they go unnoticed, simply because people don’t know what to look for. Learn about what invasive species may be present in your area and then go on a hunt – look for pests and report any that you find. Your finding could save a species! 

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FARMER'S MARKET

In a community, we all work together. Does your community have a farmer’s market? One way to support your local community and eat a bit more sustainably is to eat local products when you can. When we eat products from close to home, our food travels less distance to get to us and saves on fuel and pollution. With your family or Section, visit a local farmer’s market. 

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When was the last time you planted something in your garden? Well, there’s no time like the present to start! Even if you do not have a garden, there are still tons of ways to get planting!

 

START A SEED LIBRARY

Did you know that the world’s largest seed vault is located in Norway? High above the arctic circle in Svalbard, Norway seeds from around the world are stored for safe keeping. That way, if something happens to a local population, there is a supply of seeds at the ready. Why not try starting your own seed library at home or within your Section?

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VERTICAL GARDENS

No room for a garden? Hanging gardens are a great way to grow seeds when you have limited space! Try making your own and enjoy the beauty of a garden on your porch or balcony.

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SEED BOMBING

Help your community bloom! Create seed bombs using seeds from native species. Then, on your next adventure, drop them as you walk! You’ll create patches of beauty wherever you go, and maybe help some pollinators to thrive!

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Climate Action

We might not be able to change the world on our own, but we can certainly make a positive difference when we work together! Learn more about different kinds of pollution in our environment and where the pollution might come from. What are some ways that we can reduce the amount of pollution that we make?

Learn about the pollution in our air as you make your own pollution catcher.

Discover how we can clean up the pollution that is found in our water with oil spill experiment.

Explore the water around you and how pollution can impact the water in our communities

Pollinators are insects and other animals like bees, butterflies, bats and birds that help to carry pollen between flowers. This process helps plants to grow and reproduce. Pollinators are an important part of our environment – let’s learn more about what we can do to help them!

Plant the ultimate pollinator garden and share it with your family and friends as you make seed paper

Learn about the role that pollinators play in our environment and what we can do to help them.

Create homes for pollinators and other insects in your backyard. 

We all have an impact on the environment, some good, some bad. Let’s learn about what we can do to reduce the bad impact. Small changes can make a big difference!

Do you know what you can recycle in your city? Learn about what goes in each bin and run a recycling relay race

A carbon footprint measures the total amount of greenhouse gases that are created by our actions. Calculate the footprint you make and then see if there are some ways that you can reduce it! Reuse old items, bike to school or try taking public transit! 

One way that you can reduce the amount of garbage you create is by starting a compost! Learn about what items are compostable and how you can start composting at home

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