Scouts Participate in World Oceans Day

World Oceans Day is June 8 and Scouts across the country are doing their part to help assess and track clean water in communities from coast to coast. Using specialized water testing kits distributed by EarthEcho International, Scouts can gather data from water in their communities as part of an effort to monitor overall global water health.

The filter tests are part of a large-scale, long-term project by EarthEcho International, an organization whose goal is to inspire young people to take action for a sustainable future through initiatives such as the World Water Monitoring Challenge (WWMC). This project aims to protect water resources through public awareness and local involvement by challenging citizens to participate in basic water monitoring.

If anyone knows how to make sustainability an adventure, it’s Scouts! For example, Scouts from the Michigan Crossroads Council will use the testing kits while participating in a live-aboard sailing program this summer. Once they’ve gathered data from the area, the Scouts will enter their findings into an international database.

“I believe it will be a nice fit as we travel in the Lake Huron and Lake Michigan waters,” the council’s Director of Outdoor Adventures, Frank Reigelman explained.

Naturally, Sea Scouts are also rising to meet the challenge, and have laid considerable groundwork towards monitoring the health of aquatic ecosystems. National Boatswain Rachel West explained why this project is important for Sea Scouts and others who spend time on local waters.

“By using this water testing project, we are able to monitor and help the condition of the water that we do all of our activities on. This project means a lot to Sea Scouts because we need to make sure that the water around our local area is safe.”

The toolkits come equipped with everything these Scouts need to collect local water data based on four factors:

• pH Levels (Acidity)
• Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
• Turbidity (Clarity)
• Temperature

Thousands of community members from 120 countries around the world are already participating in the project, thanks to WWMC’s water testing toolkits. Don’t miss out! You can help monitor and improve the water quality in your own community, too. Find out how to get your WWMC tool kit by visiting the World Water Monitoring Challenge’s website.

Are you celebrating World Oceans Day? Share your festivities with us in the comments!