Welcome to the Environmental Science Merit Badge Webpage
~ an Eagle Required Badge ~
This page will help you work through this merit badge. Helpful links are included in some sections. Please let me know if you have any questions or need help finding information. Please tell your parents you will be surfing the internet for this information. On Tuesday nights I will be available to help review your progress. Have fun and keep in touch!
~ Mrs. Youngblood
~ Mrs. Youngblood
Before we get started with the badge requirements, I think we need to ask a few questions to help center us on the topic and help guide us through the process.
First off, what is Environmental Science?
- The folks at Princeton University call it "a branch of ecology and define it as: the branch of biology concerned with the relations between organisms and their environment"
- From the folks at Wikipedia: "Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical and biological sciences, (including physics, chemistry, biology, soil science, geology, and geography) to the study of the environment, and the solution of environmental problems. Environmental science provides an integrated, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental systems."
So to summarize, environmental science is a rather new scientific field which is a combination of many of the pure sciences. It studies the environment and its problems, and the effects (impact) of organisms (most often us humans) on the environment. It is an applied science, meaning the scientific principles of the other sciences are applied in the process of performing this science.
Next questions are: Why is it important?, and why do you think Boy Scouts require you to study this for your Eagle Rank?
- Since the beginning of recorded time, humans have had a big impact on their surroundings. As our species has grown in numbers, our by-products of living (read: waste/garbage) have accumulated and now contaminate our environment in ever-increasing amounts. This process has sped up since the 1800's and the Industrial Revolution. The field of environmental science was born once the overwhelming levels of waste accumulation plus a new awareness of the negative effects of this garbage (beginning in the mid-19th century and continuing through today) was recognized by scientists and people in general.
- Boy Scouts is an organization based upon nature and many of the principles of Native American living. Native Americans, and other tribes of people, have had a philosophy of "leave no trace", believing that humans only borrow the Earth for the time that they are alive.
Below are the requirements for the Enviro Sci Merit Badge. You can review them at BSA's own website: Link to BSA Merit Badge Requirements (note that the requirements are bolded, italicized, and underlined.)
I have also added information, videos and website links of helpful sources needed to complete this badge.
If you'd like a workbook to help organize your information click on this link:
Link to EnviroSci Worksheets - print this off to help you document your work.
1. Make a timeline of Environmental Science History in America. Identify how the Boy Scouts of America has contributed to Environmental Science.
2. Define the following terms: population, community, ecosystem, biosphere, symbiosis, niche, habitat, conservation, threatened species, endangered species, extinction, pollution prevention, brownfield, ozone, watershed, airshed, nonpoint source, hybrid vehicle, fuel cell. NOTE: You will need to look at all the websites below to find all the terms listed.
3. Do ONE activity from EACH of the following categories (using the activities in this pamphlet as the basis for planning and projects):
a. Ecology
5. Using the construction project provided or a plan you create on your own, identify the items that would need to be included in an environmental impact statement for the project planned.
Environmental Impact Statements: Under federal law any construction projects proposed have to have an Environmental Impact Statement drafted up. These statements are meant to make sure there is little to no harm caused to the environment by the proposed construction. If there is, the construction must address how it will work to eliminate the effect of the project.
For example, the building of the highway I-75 across the Florida Everglades included 25 specially designed overpasses to allow the Florida Panther, an endangered species, free access to all areas of the Everglades free from the dangers of high-speed car traffic.
The EIS has 4 major sections:
We will try to look at a local construction project to review the major criteria for an EIS.
For an excellent example of such an EIS see this website: SR520 bridge redesign. The highway and bridge known as SR520 is a connecting bridge between Seattle, Washington and the eastern suburbs of Kirkland and Bellevue. Seattle and its surrounding cities is experiencing tremendous growth over the last several decades and has become a major population center in the US. It is also an area of high historic implication with numerous native American tribes calling this area home, plus it is an area with a colorful recent historic past. The area is environmentally sensitive: it is home to species of salmon that are on the decline. Geologically it is also in an area of high seismic activity and is located near major geological faults. The project also covers wetlands and seeks to expand its presence over a major body of water near Puget Sound (Lake Washington). Lastly, the construction corridor is riddled with landfills, underground storage tanks (some leaking) and includes at least 1 heavily contaminated PCB site that is undergoing remediation.
6. Find out about three career opportunities in environmental science. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.
Careers in Environmental Science: There are many employment opportunities within the Environmental Science field. Most of these are scientists, engineers, computer programmers or policy makers/lawyers involved in enforcing US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) regulations (laws).
Scientists work in all areas or research and testing from private environmental testing laboratories, to state EPA's, to the US government's organization, the EPA. Here are some good links for more information on these positions:
Good Links:
Ecology/Conservation:
The Nature Conservancy works to restore damaged ecosystems and reintroduce endangered species. See some of their work at this link discussing the recovery of Santa Cruz Island off the coast of California. http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/california/preserves/art6335.html
National Geographic:
Excellent video on the continuing problem of PCB's in the soil of the Great Lakes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LbZz8vyMqw
- A good website from a professor at Radford University in Virginia regarding this topic: Environmental History Timeline. Hover over the timeline for specific information broken up by time period from BC to modern times.
- Cuyahoga River in Ohio burns: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZA9OX2joUc
- Rachel Carson and Silent Spring. AWESOME video! Must watch guys! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbtp2B-IFmw
2. Define the following terms: population, community, ecosystem, biosphere, symbiosis, niche, habitat, conservation, threatened species, endangered species, extinction, pollution prevention, brownfield, ozone, watershed, airshed, nonpoint source, hybrid vehicle, fuel cell. NOTE: You will need to look at all the websites below to find all the terms listed.
- A good website for looking up words is McGraw-Hills Environmental Science Glossary. Items A - D, Items E - L, Items M-R and Items S - Z.
- Another glossary is found on the EPA's own website. Click here.
- Also use California's EPA website (US Environmental Protection Agency) glossary for the term airshed, and others.
3. Do ONE activity from EACH of the following categories (using the activities in this pamphlet as the basis for planning and projects):
a. Ecology
- Conduct an experiment to find out how living things respond to changes in their environments. Discuss your observations with your counselor.
- Conduct an experiment illustrating the greenhouse effect. Keep a journal of your data and observations. Discuss your conclusions with your counselor.
- Discuss what is an ecosystem. Tell how it is maintained in nature and how it survives.
- Perform an experiment to test for particulates that contribute to air pollution. Discuss your findings with your counselor.
- Record the trips taken, mileage, and fuel consumption of a family car for seven days, and calculate how many miles per gallon the car gets. Determine whether any trips could have been combined ("chained") rather than taken out and back. Using the idea of trip chaining, determine how many miles and gallons of gas could have been saved in those seven days.
- Explain what is acid rain. In your explanation, tell how it affects plants and the environment and the steps society can take to help reduce its effects.
- Conduct an experiment to show how living things react to thermal pollution. Discuss your observations with your counselor.
- Conduct an experiment to identify the methods that could be used to mediate (reduce) the effects of an oil spill on waterfowl. Discuss your results with your counselor.
- Describe the impact of a waterborne pollutant on an aquatic community. Write a 100-word report on how that pollutant affected aquatic life, what the effect was, and whether the effect is linked to biomagnification.
- Conduct an experiment to illustrate soil erosion by water. Take photographs or make a drawing of the soil before and after your experiment, and make a poster showing your results. Present your poster to your counselor.
- Perform an experiment to determine the effect of an oil spill on land. Discuss your conclusions with your counselor.
- Photograph an area affected by erosion. Share your photographs with your counselor and discuss why the area has eroded and what might be done to help alleviate the erosion.
- Do research on one endangered species found in your state. Find out what its natural habitat is, why it is endangered, what is being done to preserve it, and how many individual organisms are left in the wild. Prepare a 100-word report about the organism, including a drawing. Present your report to your patrol or troop.
(For endangered species listings see these websites: State of Connecticut's Dept. of Environmental Protection's listing of endangered species. Endangered species by state (private website). Also see the Endangered species program information from the US government. And check out the Smithsonian's website on endangered species.) - Do research on one species that was endangered or threatened but which has now recovered. Find out how the organism recovered, and what its new status is. Write a 100-word report on the species and discuss it with your counselor.
- With your parent's and counselor's approval, work with a natural resource professional to identify two projects that have been approved to improve the habitat for a threatened or endangered species in your area. Visit the site of one of these projects and report on what you saw.
- Look around your home and determine 10 ways your family can help reduce pollution. Practice at least two of these methods for seven days and discuss with your counselor what you have learned.
- Determine 10 ways to conserve resources or use resources more efficiently in your home, at school, or at camp. Practice at least two of these methods for seven days and discuss with your counselor what you have learned.
- Perform an experiment on packaging materials to find out which ones are biodegradable. Discuss your conclusion with your counselor.
- (a) Mark off a plot of 4 square yards in each study area, and count the number of species found there. Estimate how much space is occupied by each plant species and the type and number of nonplant species you find. Write a report that adequately discusses the biodiversity and population density of these study areas. Discuss your report with your counselor.
- (b) Make at least three visits to each of the two study areas (for a total of six visits), staying for at least 20 minutes each time, to observe the living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem. Space each visit far enough apart that there are readily apparent differences in the observations. Keep a journal that includes the differences you observe. Then, write a short report that adequately addresses your observations, including how the differences of the study areas might relate to the differences noted, and discuss this with your counselor.
5. Using the construction project provided or a plan you create on your own, identify the items that would need to be included in an environmental impact statement for the project planned.
Environmental Impact Statements: Under federal law any construction projects proposed have to have an Environmental Impact Statement drafted up. These statements are meant to make sure there is little to no harm caused to the environment by the proposed construction. If there is, the construction must address how it will work to eliminate the effect of the project.
For example, the building of the highway I-75 across the Florida Everglades included 25 specially designed overpasses to allow the Florida Panther, an endangered species, free access to all areas of the Everglades free from the dangers of high-speed car traffic.
The EIS has 4 major sections:
- The introduction with statement of the purpose and need for such an EIS
- A description of the affected environment
- A range of alternatives to the proposed project
- An analysis of each proposed project and its alternatives. These analyses include:
- Impacts to threatened or endangered species
- Air and water quality impacts
- Impacts to historical or culture sites
- Social and economic impacts to the community
- Cost analysis for each alternative, including costs to mitigate (make less severe) the impact
We will try to look at a local construction project to review the major criteria for an EIS.
For an excellent example of such an EIS see this website: SR520 bridge redesign. The highway and bridge known as SR520 is a connecting bridge between Seattle, Washington and the eastern suburbs of Kirkland and Bellevue. Seattle and its surrounding cities is experiencing tremendous growth over the last several decades and has become a major population center in the US. It is also an area of high historic implication with numerous native American tribes calling this area home, plus it is an area with a colorful recent historic past. The area is environmentally sensitive: it is home to species of salmon that are on the decline. Geologically it is also in an area of high seismic activity and is located near major geological faults. The project also covers wetlands and seeks to expand its presence over a major body of water near Puget Sound (Lake Washington). Lastly, the construction corridor is riddled with landfills, underground storage tanks (some leaking) and includes at least 1 heavily contaminated PCB site that is undergoing remediation.
6. Find out about three career opportunities in environmental science. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.
Careers in Environmental Science: There are many employment opportunities within the Environmental Science field. Most of these are scientists, engineers, computer programmers or policy makers/lawyers involved in enforcing US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) regulations (laws).
Scientists work in all areas or research and testing from private environmental testing laboratories, to state EPA's, to the US government's organization, the EPA. Here are some good links for more information on these positions:
- US EPA Careers with a good slide show on different positions within the EPA.
- Wildlife International is an example of a company that performs testing on chemicals to determine how harmful they are to animals, fish, birds and plants if the chemical gets into the environment. This testing is required by the US government. Be sure to click on their careers link for more information.
- Environmental Engineering is a group of professions that are concerned with environmental protection from a industry perspective.
If a new building or highway is proposed, what will its impact be on traffic? on the wildlife located on the building site or will their migration be interrupted? What will happen to the waste generated from the new building? The American Academy of Environmental Engineers has career information.
Good Links:
Ecology/Conservation:
The Nature Conservancy works to restore damaged ecosystems and reintroduce endangered species. See some of their work at this link discussing the recovery of Santa Cruz Island off the coast of California. http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/california/preserves/art6335.html
National Geographic:
Excellent video on the continuing problem of PCB's in the soil of the Great Lakes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LbZz8vyMqw