Scouting For Clean Waterways

A Conservations Good Turn for America

Scouting America is joining the nationwide effort to address the critical issue of waterway and marine debris, also known as aquatic trash. Each year, millions of tons of plastic and other man-made materials enter our water bodies, endangering marine life and disrupting habitats. By participating in Scouting for Clean Waterways, Scouts can help address this critical issue and make a positive difference in their communities and beyond. 

Scouts in all programs are encouraged to: 

LEARN ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF AQUATIC TRASH 

Did you know that up to 12 million metric tons, or about 12 billion pounds of plastic is dumped into oceans each year? Millions of pounds more are dumped into rivers, lakes, streams, swamps, and associated waterways.  

But it is not just plastic. Anything man-made can become waterway or marine debris. Most of this aquatic trash begins its journey to our oceans from land, sometimes miles away from our water resources. 

WHY DOES IT MATTER? 

Over 1 million marine animals are killed each year due to plastic marine debris, many more are killed from fishing line entanglement, poisoning, and loss of habitat. Just as importantly, waterway and marine debris pollutes soil, animals bred for consumption ingest the pollution, and the effects of waterway and marine debris negatively impacts our economy. This is bad for animals, bad for the environment, bad for food supplies, and bad for the economy.  

TAKE ACTION 

Clean up projects can be held anywhere there is a need. Our waterways and the areas around them, parks, and recreation areas are all ideal locations for Scouting for Clean Waterways service projects. Remember that trash on land will frequently become aquatic trash.