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by Jane Halbedel, Air Quality Chair
More years than I care to admit have passed since I taught vocal
music to students of varying ages. So when I received an invitation
to speak to area Girl Scouts, who were scheduled to attend a three-day
conference this past June at Hiram College, I was reluctant to
commit.
Upon reflection, I couldn't help but think how wise my mother was
to enroll me in this wonderful organization. The Girl Scout tradition
is grounded in core values and high principles, wherein goal setting
and accomplishing objectives are key to earning badges to be worn
on a sash and displayed with pride. What was originally a hard
sell to engage me to participate, shifted. I began to view my participation
as an issues expert as a privilege. I would be given the opportunity
to motivate young ladies to pursue a personal goal of "Going
Green."
Lecturing on the severity of climate change was not an easy task.
But I was able to capture the critical aspects of climate change,
the dramatic result from global warming, and relate them as best
I could.
I was assigned a group of about twelve girls. Through a Girl Scout
employee who specialized in environmental issues, we learned about
a valuable conservation program available to all Girl Scouts. My
group could create a plan to raise funds to protect acreage within
the Ecuadorian Rainforest's Reserva Las Gralarias. Their fund-raising
efforts would help to protect rare and endemic birds, plants, and
other animals found in this unique area of abundant and beautiful
biodiversity.
I provided a number of fund-raising ideas that the girls could
incorporate into their overall strategy. They developed a plan
with strategies and objectives, and presented it to their fellow
scouts on the final day of the conference. The theme of this conference
was Voice Lessons. Each girl in my group used her "voice" in
some way to advocate the importance of "Going Green."
No child should ever have to endure his or her life. Right now
we are willing to our youth (and future generations) a world on
the verge of climate chaos and associated catastrophe. Climate
change may become irreversible if the international efforts in
Copenhagen this December are insufficient to constrain the production
of carbon dioxide. It will be the task of future generations should
efforts at sufficient carbon constraint fail. Maybe one young Girl
Scout will take up the gauntlet and become the Rachel Carson (environmentalist
and author of Silent Spring) of her generation by making a monumental
difference in our climate's course.
Oh, that I could bear witness to such astounding female environmental
leadership in the challenging years ahead.
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