Using Resources Wisely

Not included: For used item swap: Ask the girls to bring in toys or books they no longer use. For scavenger hunt: Pencils. For Earth art: Washable green and blue markers, spray bottle with water, glue. Remember, you don’t have to do all the activities.

Intro: Let’s make the Girl Scout sign and say the Girl Scout Promise together. Would anyone like to lead it?

On my honor, I will try: To serve God* and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

*Members may substitute for the word God in accordance with their own spiritual beliefs.

Icebreaker: Have the girls say their name and and their favorite color!

Pick at least three of the following activities to complete to earn this petal!

You can do these all in one meeting or over several meetings if you wish. Feel free to be creative, and modify or supplement these ideas with your own activities around the theme of using resources wisely.

Activity 1: Talk about it!

Explain that using our resources wisely means protecting the things that are important to us and taking care of them so they last a long time. Today, we are going to be talking about using our earth’s resources wisely and helping protect our planet!

Ask the girls: What is something you love about nature? What are some things our planet provides that help people live? What makes our planet beautiful? Why is it important to care for and protect our planet? What are some things we can do to protect our planet?

Activity 2: Reduce, reuse, and recycle

Let’s talk about trash! What do we do with things when they are broken or used up, or we just don’t want them anymore? Often, they get thrown away! When we throw things away, the trash gets buried in the ground, in something called a land ll. This is not good for our planet; too much garbage can harm our water, air, and animal life!

When things get thrown away, they eventually break down and blend into the soil. How long do you think it takes for these common items of garbage to break down? A straw (200 years), a diaper (500 years), a plastic bottle (450 years).

Have the girls guess how many pounds of garbage they think the average person produces in a year. Over 1,500 pounds per person! Have the girls make a list of ways we can reduce the amount of garbage we make (recycle, buy less, buy secondhand items, buy items with less packaging, use paper bags instead of plastic, etc.).

Reduce, reuse, recycle: Have the girls bring in books or toys they no longer use for a swap. This is a great way to keep used items out of land lls!

Activity 3: Get out and enjoy nature—but Leave No Trace!

Give each girl a sensory scavenger hunt sheet (included) and go on a walk in your neighborhood, park, playground, or a local nature center. If the girls can’t read, do this activity together as a group.

Remind the girls just to mark the things they see on their sheet—do not take them! It is important for us to protect nature by not disturbing it and leaving everything just as we found it! This is called Leave No Trace.

Ask the girls: Why is it important to not disturb nature and leave everything just as you found it? What were the most interesting things you saw?

Activity 4: Play animal charades—a Leave No Trace game!

Each troop member silently acts out a wild animal you might see in nature. (They can choose their own animal.) The other players will react as if the actor is a real wild animal: Have them hold up their thumb in front of the “animal.” The player acting should be far enough away that the thumb covers them up. Explain that this is a good rule of thumb for keeping a safe distance when encountering any wild animal. If you can hold up your thumb and cover them up, you are probably staying far enough away! Once a safe distance has been established, the other players will try to guess the animal being acted out. Whoever guesses correctly can be the next player to act, or they can choose someone else to act if they wish.

Ask the girls: Why is it important to stay far enough away from animals you might see in nature? How might getting too close to animals harm them?

Activity 5: Make some beautiful Earth art to celebrate our beautiful planet!

Give each girl a coffee lter (included). Have them atten their lter on to a paper plate (included) and use a marker to color their lter blue and green to show the water and land. Scribbling is ne!

Remind them that about 70% of the planet is water! Use a squirt bottle to spray the coffee lter a few times right in the center and watch the water spread the colors over the lter (it may take 4 to 5 minutes). Don’t get it too wet or the colors may fade too much. You can always add more water later if it doesn’t spread to the edge fully. It’s best to spray the water outside or over a sink if possible! Let dry for about 30 minutes to one hour, and then glue to a piece of black construction paper (included).

More activity ideas:

Invite a beekeeper to talk about protecting pollinators!

Invite a vegetarian to talk about sustainable foods and try some vegetarian cuisine. Pick up litter at a park or playground.

Visit a wildlife sanctuary, nature center, or state park

Talk about re-use and upcycling and have a book or toy swap.

Tour a recycling center.

Wrap-up: End the meeting with a friendship circle/friendship squeeze. Have the girls help with any clean-up tasks. Talk about what you are doing at the next meeting, get their ideas for activities, and share upcoming meeting dates, homework, volunteer needs, etc. with parents as they arrive for pick-up. Consider sending a follow-up text with this information if needed.