I have spent the last 6 months researching environmental issues in hopes of sparking my project idea for my Girl Scout Gold Award. I have always been concerned about the environment and that we are not doing enough as a society to protect our fragile earth. Interestingly what became evident in my research is that those wanting us to start thinking green were not putting enough emphasis on providing something green that was tangible for young children to experience. However the outdoor retailer REI is one example of others providing green activities for children. They have partnered with Leave No Trace to develop fun interactive and educational outreach programs.

I believe I am the right person for the job because I felt connected to the environment since I was little. When I went on my first family hike in the panhandle of West Texas the scenery took my breath away that I knew that I was a part of this beautiful world that was so much bigger than just me. I believe that I am the person to create the miracle of an Environmental Center in West Texas.

I am building a Green Environmental Center for my Girl Scout Gold Award. The center will be made using the Compressed Earth Block method of building construction. The Center will be at Camp Rio Blanco our region's Girl Scout Camp in Crosbyton Texas and open to all children that live in the Texas South Plains. I have organized an amazing design team of ten professionals that are committed to my cause and are volunteering to make my dream or mission a reality. I believe my Green Environmental Center will be a positive step to educating children about living green. We are all guilty of wasteful living. We throw away what we are tired of or don't use any longer. These products are at times re-used but more frequently are found in our dumpsters and then to our landfills. People in our country need to be educated on the tasks around us which are to save the planet that we take for granted everyday and to make a conscious effort to not waste our precious resources. This is my reason for selecting this project. The children that will visit my Green Environmental Center will be educated about the environmental issues so that they can make a difference someday. For example I plan to have one interior wall in the center built from aluminum cans. And I will be bringing the younger Girl Scouts to the work site so they can help with this innovative construction. I am also using glass bottles for windows. I really want this center to be created with kids in mind. I believe if we start teaching Green concepts at earlier ages all children will start living with the same green attitudes. Who knows they might end up saving the planet in their own little way and every little effort makes a big difference. My project will also include other aspects. For example I am writing a classroom curriculum with Green teaching activities. This curriculum manual will be made available to schools on DVD so that they can teach Green concepts. This teaching can take place in their classrooms or they can travel and take a field trip to my Environmental Center. I am also remapping two nature trails at my camp. This will include mapping identifying the plants and wildlife and incorporating the “Leave No Trace” concept for outdoor recreation. And I am including The Green Challenge which will be the final step of my project. This will be my personal plea to Girl Scouts around the nation and our world to incorporate Green centers in their Girl Scout Councils. I believe that this is a perfect time to move forward on this type of project because the focus of our country's political leaders and our National Girl Scout Leaders is to Think Green. Remember from a young child's mind thinking green and actually seeing or living green would be two very different things. Therefore I believe the only way to teach thinking and living green is to have a child friendly green environment for children to experience being green. I believe in my project and know that I must personally take a stand to get things started. My Green Environmental Center is just a small step to helping the children of the Texas South Plains live and experience the Green movement.

Anyone can help by trying to get children involved with the environment in the community. Please visit my website.