WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Recycled food barrel (try checking with large restaurants or food distributors)
• 2 to 4 concrete blocks (to allow room for a bucket to fit under the spigot)
• 3/4-inch hose spigot
• Drill
• Saber saw
• 3/4 x 1-1/4-inch threaded pipe nipple (used as overflow connector)
• Window screen
• PVC cement

WHAT YOU’LL DO

1. Wash out the barrel with a solution of 1/8-cup bleach and 5 gallons of water.

2. Drill a 15/16-inch hole a few inches from the bottom of the barrel. Thread the spigot halfway into the barrel, apply PVC cement onto the threads and continue screwing it in until snug.

3. Using the same procedure as the spigot, install the 3/4-inch overflow connector a few inches from the top of the barrel.

4. Choose a good spot for the rain barrel. It needs to be close to a rain downspout and a short distance from your plants and gardens.

5. Raise the barrel off the ground by placing it on concrete blocks. Reconfigure the downspout so it empties directly into the barrel. Use the screen to cover the open hole in the barrel to prevent insects or debris from getting in.

6. If you’ve installed an overflow, you can attach a hose and direct the water to another part of your yard.

Congratulations to Tate for winning a special-edition Boys’ Life T-shirt. His Go Green entry was chosen in a random drawing.

Sell my video games I don’t play anymore to GameStop or consignment sale.
– Gunnar

Recycle cans, plastic bottles.
– Brian

I am going to turn off the TV when no one is watching it and turn off the computer too and pick up trash when I see any outside.
– Tayvaun

I am recycling bottles that have a number 1 or 2. Also, I am reusing plastic bags for grocery shopping.
– Anthony

Shutting off lights, recycling, using less chemicals, planting, conserving electricity, using less gas.
– Shawn

I have put a recycling box in my school classes and I have been reusing papers for origami and spelling tests. I’m also walking to school and to other town places and to friends houses. That’s my plan on how to go green!
– Sebastian

I don’t use canvas bags, but instead whenever I get paper or plastic bags, I always re-use them around the house, later, when I’m done with the bags, I recycle them.
– Bobby

I plan to ride the bus so I can save gas for other people.
– Devin

Turning computer off with a power strip so it doesn’t waste power when we go away from home on trips.
– Dakota

Giving away low-energy-use light bulbs for Christmas to family members.
– Canyon

We reuse our plastic shopping bags.
– Caleb

We’re getting an aerator for our sink faucet and a low flow or dual flush toilet for our bathroom.
– Seth

I am going to recycle.
– Tate

We bring home recyclable items (cups, bottles etc.) from restaurants & put them in our recycling bin!
– Ryan

I walk home from school, turn off electricity when not needed, keep lights off during daylight, keep all the water turned off. I also turn the furnace up to a set degree by my mom, shovel by hand, walk to my bank, house, etc. any time possible.
– Scott

Make a compost bin and put scraps of food in it.
– Asher

Some of the “green” actions in my life are: When I shop, I bring my own reusable bag. I use a cloth towel to dry my hands instead of paper towels. I recycle everything that can be recycled.
– Alice

We have switched our light bulbs to energy efficient ones.  I also turn off all lights and electronics when not in use.
– David

I am planning to go green by turning off lights when I’m not using them, recycle, save water, etc.
– Brandon

Making a birdhouse.
– Karl

I talked my dad into replacing all of the lightbulbs in our house with the LED bulbs as the old ones burned out.
– Aaron

I am turning off lights that are not in use, using both the front and back of a sheet of paper in school, and recycling to go green.
– Barak

Our new Cubmaster got us involved in recycling cans. Since my mother is the old Cubmaster, she got us involved in a stream clean up. At home, we have a compost pile, we put the yard clippings in it. After we are done with any table scraps (no meat), we add them. It is really fun to see what will grow from the seeds you have dumped, and we put leaves in it instead of the landfill. We use the compost on our mother’s garden in the spring. We also take a few of the worms and go fishing. We recycle our everyday products as well: our glass, papers and empty plastic bottles, etc. We turn off the water when we are brushing our teeth and turn out the lights when we leave a room. We even recycle the clothing we can no longer use. We have a yard sale, give them to a local family in need or pass them on to Goodwill. We also pack most of our lunches for school. If we remove a tree, we plant one somewhere else. We have planted trees at Sinoquipe.
– Tom/Mike

When I sell popcorn next year in 2009, I’m going to walk instead of ride in the car.
– Norman

Teaching our young scouts good recycling habits as well as understanding our responsibilities to protect our planet. We have recycled metals, glass and paper. We have gone on clean-up projects. We have planted new trees and flowers.
– Diana

I am recycling and unplugging my DS charger and turn off the computer when I’m done to save energy.
– Erik

I’ll use fluorescent bulbs, ride my bike to school, use solar panels.
– Andrew

Using cloth bags, shorter showers, drive hybrid car and as my science project, I made a solar generator.
– Jacob

Our pack is doing almost all our crafts with recycled materials.
– Yang

I am going to do all the things I learn in the magazine.
– Dylan

I walk (in the winter) or bike to school every day, unless I have some reports (like to bring a suitcase, or it’s raining or snowing hard).
– Jacques

Right now I plant new trees. I take some from places where they won’t be able to grow (like next to fences) and to places where they can. I also plant new ones from seed. I have planted or re-planted over 10 trees and plan to continue going green.
– Joe

I use a reusable water bottle and use CFL bulbs in my bed room. I also recycle aluminum cans.
– Drew

I am recycling more now and encouraging my entire family to do so. I am making sure lights are turned out when we are not using them, and my family is doing a lot more walking. I am picking up trash around my neighborhood. I am helping to keep my neighbor’s yard clean too. I ask my sister to unplug her hairdryer and curling iron when she is not using them too.
– Forrest

For the past few months, my family has been striving to reduce our carbon footprint for the betterment of our environment and livestyles. The efforts we have been making include buying organic produce and products, recycling plastics, glass, aluminum and newspapers. We have also designated a bin in our backyard as our compost bin. We use reusable water bottles and containers. Whenever our electronic devices are not in use, we are sure to turn them completely off as opposed to putting them on a screensaver or putting them to sleep. I am looking forward to doing more of such things in the future.
– Nicholas

We recycle everything that is possible at home.  We also have my aunt setting items aside so we can recycle those too.
– Chase

I will pick up all the trash people leave on the ground or in the water.
– Mr. Scouter

I have been recycling, composting and have been buying things at thrift stores.
– Nicholas

I am reusing all plastic bags, water bottles, and other reusable materials, for shopping, lunch, etc. Also, I use the recycling bin for stuff I can’t reuse, but can recycle.
– Achinthya

I made my mom buy the CFL light bulbs already. I recycle all the cans and glass at home. I go and turn off all of the power strips that are on the TV and the computer, and make sure that everything is unplugged in the house that are not needed.  I have put up signs all over town so that everyone knows a little bit about “Going Go” every two weeks.  No one is allow to take a long hot shower anymore, then have to take a short warm shower instead.  My mom, thanks to me, is using canvas bags at the grocery store now instead of plastic.  And every fall we use the leaves that fall off the tree for composting so that in the spring we have some great compost.  I add to it everyday with scraps from the kitchen and stuff from the yard.
– Michael

I got my entire school to recycle paper, bottles, and a ton more.
– Jon

I already use reusable containers for lunch. I recycle newspapers and magazines. And I always unplug my chargers.
– Michael

Our Cub Scout pack cleans up along the banks of the Chattahoochee River each October when we take part in Help the Hooch, a community-wide organized cleanup effort.  More than 11,000 volunteers participate.  I am proud that our pack is doing our part to keep the river clean!
– Benjamin

I am composting our leaves instead of burning them. We chopped the leaves into small pieces and will add them to our compost pile. This will make less pollution and reuse a natural product.
– Cody

Helping my dad recycle the leaves, helping my mom make a compost bin and planting a tree.
– Brendan

I participate in pack clean-up projects.  I also take my lunch to school everyday in reusable containers.
– Tristen

Every week I go around my house and recycle the paper I find.  So far I recycled a recycling bin full of paper.
– Tyler

When I am outside and see a piece of trash, I keep it and when I get home throw it out.
– Kevin

We have a two-knob shower. When the water gets cold, I turn the cold down, not the hot up.
– Rob

I will pick up trash. I have gone to Starfall.com and played Earth Day to pick up virtual trash (paper, cans, and plastic).
– Zachary

I am turning off most of the lights in my and my friends and families houses!
– BJ

I recycle old pop bottles to make bird feeders, use my old to small clothes to make grocery bags, and live in a no-emissions home with a no-emissions car.
– William

I will go green by picking up trash in my neighborhood, recycle paper, walk to school and not ride with my mom.
– Jordan

Together with the help of Comcast cable company and numerous Boy Scout troops and packs, we worked together to cleanup Washington Park Zoo and surrounding areas of Lake Michigan. It was great that we all came together to make a difference to help out environment.
– Dennis

I have twin sisters who are 5 years old and in K-5. They are in Girl Scouts. Together we are doing something for our environment. We are saving newspapers to be recycled. We have been saving newspapers for about three months now. We take a month’s worth of papers at a time to be recycled. It is amazing how much paper is used in a month’s time to make the newspapers and advertisements that are in Sunday’s papers. That is a lot of waste if the papers are not recycled.
– Casey

FRIDAY MORNING:

You need a lunch for school. You …

A. Plan on grabbing take-out at the burger place down the street.

B. Pack a lunch with reusable containers and a thermal bag.

Why add more trash to the planet? Packing your own food is usually healthier and cheaper, too.

Don’t forget your cell phone and iPod. You …

A. Take your electronics and leave the chargers plugged in.

B. Take your electronics and unplug the chargers.

Pull the plug on energy vampires. Chargers use — and waste — electricity and money even when they aren’t on. Either unplug them or put everything on a power strip and then switch it off. If everybody in the United States did this, $3 billion in energy costs could be saved every year.

Time to head to school. You …

A. Get Mom or Dad to drive you, solo.

B. Walk, bike or ride the bus.

Every car that’s off the road saves an average of 31.7 pounds of carbon emissions per day, or 5.8 tons a year.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON:

At soccer practice, you need to be sure to drink up. You …

A. Buy bottled water and then toss the bottle.

B. Drink water from a reusable bottle.

Every hour, about 2.5 million water bottles are thrown away. That’s a lot of trash.

After practice, you go grocery shopping with your parents. You …

A. Tell the clerk you want paper or plastic.

B. Use the cloth bags you brought from home.

Reusable bags cut down on the need for manufacturing plastic and paper ones (which sucks up energy and materials). The Environmental Protection Agency says as many as 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide every year.

Apples are on the grocery list. You …

A. Buy whatever’s at the supermarket.

B. Buy apples and other produce at the local farmers’ market.

Check the labels: Those apples might have been flown in from 3,000 miles away. Local foods don’t leave that huge carbon footprint — and they’re probably tastier, too.

FRIDAY EVENING:

You’re in charge of making the salad for dinner. You …

A. Toss the veggie scraps in the garbage.

B. Toss the veggie scraps in the compost pail.

Why add to the landfill? Composting is an easy way to put life back into the soil. Check out www.boyslife.org for an easy-to-make compost bin.

Soccer practice left you smelling not so great. You …

A. Fill up the bathtub and take a bath.

B. Take a short shower.

A four-minute shower uses about 20 gallons of water (with a low-flow shower head, only 10 gallons), while an average bath takes 40.

SATURDAY MORNING:

You’re finally up and at ’em, so you …

A. Throw on a cotton T-shirt.

B. Throw on a certified organic cotton T-shirt.

Cotton is a natural fabric, but growing it the nonorganic way uses serious amounts of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Just one pair of jeans requires two-thirds of a pound of chemicals; a T-shirt, another one-third pound. Organically grown cotton doesn’t use any.

It’s your turn to mow the lawn. You …

A. Fire up that gas-powered mower.

B. Use a reel (push) mower.

One traditional gas-powered lawn mower running for an hour puts out as much air pollution as eight new cars driven 55 miles in an hour. That push mower is also much quieter and a great way to build biceps.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON:

Your best bud wants to pick up a few things. You …

A. Hit the mall to see what’s new and hot.

B. Hit the thrift stores to see what’s old and cool.

It takes energy and resources to make new stuff, so give used things a chance. You can find unusual, interesting stuff, plus you’ll save money.

How about a snack? You …

A. Turn on the oven to warm up that leftover pizza.

B. Heat up your snack in the microwave (or eat it cold).

A microwave oven uses 85 percent less energy than a regular one (a toaster oven uses about 30 percent less).

SATURDAY EVENING:

You’ve finished that research paper for science class. You start to print, but the ink cartridge runs out. You …

A. Toss it.

B. Save it for recycling.

It takes three quarts of oil to make just one new cartridge. Plus, some stores not only recycle cartridges but also give you a few bucks toward a new one.

You reward your hard work with a few games on the computer. Afterward, you …

A. Let it go to a screensaver.

B. Set it to go into sleep or hibernate mode and later turn it off.

Ditch the screensaver: It uses about as much power as actual processing. At bedtime, or when the computer’s not in use, turn it off completely.

Just as it’s time for lights out, a light goes out. You …

A. Replace the bulb with a regular incandescent.

B. Replace the bulb with a compact fluorescent lightbulb (CFL).

A CFL uses only a quarter of the electricity that a regular bulb does, adding up to huge carbon savings and lower power bills.

SO HOW DID YOU DO?

Picking all A’s means it’s time to make some changes. Choosing a mix of A’s and B’s means you’re learning. But picking all B’s means you’re going easy on the environment and making a difference. Keep up the good work!

Their project, Get the Lead Out of Fishing, studied how wildlife is harmed by the 480 million lead weights that anglers lose each year. It has won lots of awards, including a 2007 President’s Environmental Youth Award. Research from the project is being used in legislation to ban lead from fishing. So far, the guys have collected and recycled nearly 60 pounds of lead.

Team leader Eagle Scout Mike Browne says, “It all started when I was 6 and asked my dad what happened to the weights we lost while fishing.” www.replacelead.com

Last April, Pack 46 of Central Point, Ore., hosted a Bus, Bike and Walk Week at its elementary school. The guys gave each student an Eco Card to tally their Earth-friendly travels. “It was just awesome! There were a lot more bikes around — 35 instead of three or four,” Cub Scout Colby Edwards, 8, says.

To honor the school’s surpassing its goal of 2,000 tallies (with 2,338), the pack put on a Green Day celebration with music, dancing and popcorn. “It felt like we were working on something together,” Cub Scout Tysen Lang, 9, says. “Even by everyone just doing a little, we were able to reach our goal.”

Going green can bring in “green.” Cub Scout Ryan Beaumont, 8, of Pack 437, Lakewood, Colo., came up with the idea for his own green business: selling Earthsacks. Sales of these reusable, all-natural cotton bags (to be used when shopping instead of plastic ones) help support Algalita Marine Research Foundation, which is involved in ocean plastic-pollution research and education. “We started the business on Earth Day last year, so we wanted it to be Earth friendly,” Ryan says. Ryan and his dad, Dave, also visit schools and Scout units to talk about making eco-friendly choices. www.earthsack.org

Four Scouts were on the team that won the 2008 Shell Eco-marathon, in which students designed, built and tested eco-friendly vehicles.

The team of 15 boys that included Adam Ferrari, 15; Matt Schneider, 16; and Quinn Schroeder, 15, Troop 399; and Andrew Ritter, 17, Troop 397, Evansville, Ind., got 2,843.4 miles per gallon, setting a record and winning the $10,000 grand prize to use for future projects.

“We need to develop vehicle technology so we don’t have such a reliance on oil,” Andrew says.

“I’m not too happy about gas prices,” Adam agrees. “And we need to make cars better for our world and atmosphere.”

Venturing Crew 202, Westminster, Md., not only earned the unit Hornaday Award in 2007, it has been recognized on state and national levels for its environmental work. The crew snagged three state conservation awards and a national 2008 SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Environmental Excellance Award, for which it won $10,000 for future projects. “The crew is passionate about what we’re doing, and we have fun at the same time,” says Eagle Scout Eric Kazyak, 15. Click here to read about some of the crew’s projects.

Life Scout Billy Weibley of Troop 42, Union, S.C., writes: “Our troop recycles cans, which helps pay for camp outings, badges, etc. We park a trailer along a major road through town that has ‘BSA Troop 42 Can Recycling’ posted on both sides. People can drop off aluminum cans, then we rotate patrols taking the trailer to the recycling center, sorting and processing the cans. It helps our troop and lets the community know we are available to do good things for the environment.”

For the national Bottle Brigade program, Pack 116, Chippewa Falls, Wis., collected more than 7,000 plastic soda bottles, more than any other participating Scout unit. The program is run by TerraCycle, which reuses the bottles to package plant foods (made from worm poop), paying 5 cents per bottle. The guys put the money toward helping everybody go to camp. Cub Scouts Ross Hebert and Brandon Lloyd say, “Collecting these bottles is a way to save our planet.” (www.terracycle.net/bb)

Star Scout Dave Ryan and Troop 777, Olmsted Falls, Ohio, created an innovative use of solar power at their council camp. “We bring a solar panel, car battery and a bunch of low-power red LED lights,” Dave says. “We set it up so the lights draw power from the battery, which draws power from the solar panel during the day.” (The guys use red light because it doesn’t affect night vision, contribute to light pollution or attract bugs like white light.) They also use their solar-power rig for other minor electrical needs, such as charging cell phones, inflating mattresses and operating low-power gear.

Troop 54 of Mandan, N.D., saved 113,928 kilowatts of energy, $11,393 in energy costs and put a stop to 90 tons of greenhouse gases through the Energy Star Change a Light Pledge program. The guys handed out more than 400 compact fluorescent lightbulbs in their community for residents to replace less energy-efficient regular incandescent bulbs.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Sturdy plastic 55-gallon (or so) food barrel
• Drill
• Saw
• Hammer
• Adjustable wrench
• 8 3⁄8-by-3 1⁄2-inch carriage bolts
• 8 3⁄8-inch nuts
• 8 3⁄8-inch washers
• 16d galvanized nails
• 2 bungee cords (If barrel has a locking lid, you won’t need the bungees.)
• 5 2-by-6-inch boards (Lengths will be determined by the size of the container.)
• 3⁄4-inch galvanized pipe, threaded both ends (You can get a standard-size pre-cut threaded pipe. The length will be determined by diameter of the barrel.)
• 2 3⁄4-inch galvanized pipe caps

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Prepare the Barrel

1. Wash out the barrel and drill two 7⁄8-inch holes halfway between the top and bottom. These holes are for the 3⁄4-inch galvanized pipe.

2. Drill 1⁄2-inch holes evenly spaced around the barrel.

Build a Sturdy Frame

3. Cut the 2-by-6-inch boards and assemble the frame as shown, using the hardware listed. The feet should be almost as long as the legs are high.

4. Drill 7⁄8-inch holes at the top of the legs and pass the 3⁄4-inch steel pipe through the hole in one leg, into the barrel and out through the leg on the other side. Screw on the pipe caps.

5. If the lid needs to be held in place, drill small holes around the lid to hook bungee cords.

COMPOSTING BASICS

Layer yard waste into the tumbler. Alternate green materials like grass clippings with brown ones like hay or fallen leaves. Put in some garden soil and kitchen waste such as veggie scraps, fruit peels, cereal, bread, crushed egg shells, tea bags, and coffee grounds and filters. Never use meat, poultry, fish, dairy or pet waste. That stuff can attract unwanted critters.

Bacteria breaks down the materials in your tumbler and turns it into rich organic compost. The decomposing material will become hot as the bacteria does its work. The material in your tumbler should be about as moist as a damp sponge. Spin your tumbler one or two times a week to mix the contents and keep it aerated.

HOW TO FIND A BARREL

Food barrels are used for things like juice or pickles. Try checking with large restaurants or food distributors. Also, there are companies that sell used food barrels.

Welcome to the green, Earth-friendly community of the future. For the past seven months, we have told you how to Go Green! Here’s what our world might look like once we have all gone green. Imagine the possibilities.

Water-harvesting systems collect rainwater. Indoor systems filter and reuse wastewater.

Homes are a mix of old and new. Traditional building materials include straw, adobe and packed earth. Computer-controlled laser cutters reduce construction waste. Skylights provide natural light, while solar energy heats and cools the home. Houses are full of recycled materials.

Turbines capture energy in the air and at sea. Blimps with blades sail high, and flying turbines soar even higher: three miles above Earth, harnessing strong high-altitude winds. Below the waves, tidal turbines catch the ocean’s strength.

Wind farms provide clean energy. Solar farms cover hundreds of acres and provide electricity without any pollution.

Native trees, flowers, grasses and bushes use less water, purify the air, pull contaminants out of the soil and filter storm water. Green spaces replace some concrete city areas and streets.

Many people telecommute, working from home. Energy-efficient transportation choices include a national system of trails for walking and biking, “clean” trains and mass-transit systems.

Fans flock to sports arenas by mass transit. At the stadium, solar panels follow the sun’s movements to catch its energy. Wind funnels through turbines inside the arena’s structure, circulating through vents to provide cool air on hot days.

People grow some of their own food in community and rooftop gardens. Shoppers buy fresh, organic produce at farmers’ markets. Buying locally cuts carbon emissions from shipping food long distances. Farming organically keeps chemical pesticides and fertilizers out of the ground and waterways.

Stores no longer hand out paper or plastic bags. Shoppers bring their own reusable bags to carry stuff.

Cars zoom along with solar panels, mini-turbines, lithium batteries and on-board generators, powered by electricity and various alternative fuels.

Planes and airships run on solar power, with energy stored in batteries. Hydrogen-powered airliners make the jump to hypersonic Mach 5 speeds. Personal air vehicles are lightweight and fuel-efficient.

When products reach the end of their usefulness, shoppers return them to the store for recycling.

It wasn’t long ago that computers came on the scene, opening up huge numbers of new jobs. In the same way, green technologies provide new career opportunities. Jobs that never existed before are in demand, both now and in the future.

Lunar habitats are almost completely self-sustaining. Huge mirrors use sunlight to create electricity. Fish tanks and gardens supply food, while liquids and waste are cleaned for reuse.

Through his work with these organizations, Ringo understands the impact of changing weather patterns on wildlife. Here’s what Ringo and many scientists are saying about what’s happening around the world.

AFRICA

The continent of Africa has felt the effects more than any place, Ringo says. Up to a million wildebeests in the Serengeti plain travel north every dry season in search of water and food. Due to severe droughts the past several years, wildebeests, as well as zebras and antelopes, are finding less water along the way. Many never complete their journey.

ASIA

Much of the water in China, India and Nepal comes from glaciers in the Himalayas. “In 50 years, those glaciers could be gone,” Ringo says, causing a water shortage that would affect wildlife such as the already endangered panda.

Orangutans in Borneo are endangered due to destruction of tropical forest habitat. Many experts believe orangutans could become extinct in the wild in 10 to 15 years.

THE POLES

Arctic ice the size of New York, Georgia and Texas combined has melted. This habitat loss means fewer seals, which means less food for polar bears. Polar bears might swim up to 60 miles to find their next meal; many drown or starve.

Antarctic ice is also melting, changing where penguins breed and raise young. Warming ocean water reduces krill, penguins’ favorite food. The World Wildlife Fund reports the emperor penguin population has dropped 50 percent in the past 50 years.

AUSTRALIA

Some of Australia’s butterflies are under threat of extinction. Insects are the first to go, says Australian scientist Dr. Don Sands. “They’re the best indication of climate change because the impact on them is almost immediate,” Dr. Sands says. Because of their short life spans, if they don’t find food and mate quickly, species die out.

YOUR BACKYARD

“Climate changes affect bird migration patterns,” Ringo says. Winter arrives later and spring earlier. Birds that normally fly south for the winter might stick around or not fly as far south. Migrating species, including birds, butterflies and insects, are moving poleward. Robins have been spotted 500 miles north of the Arctic Circle. There is no word in the Inuit language for “robin.” These Native Americans living in this region never needed one before.

THE UNITED STATES

The National Wildlife Federation says that in the Florida Everglades, as sea levels rise, salt water creeps into freshwater areas and destroys wetlands. Fish and birds are threatened, as well as the endangered Key deer and Florida panther.

Spruce bark beetles, once limited to the Southeast, are migrating north due to warmer temps. “They’re eating forests in Canada and Alaska by the thousands of acres,” Ringo says. Mosquito habitats are also expanding to higher latitudes and elevations. Not only is this bad news for campers, but it also could mean an increase in the disease malaria.

THE RAIN FORESTS

The largest commercial cattle herd in the world lives along the Amazon River, passing huge amounts of the greenhouse gas methane. Deforestation for logging and soybeans adds to the problem. Biologist Daniel Nepstad of Woods Hole Research Center predicts that if this continues, 40 percent of the Amazon forest will be gone by 2050, potentially impacting all area wildlife, especially fish such as the piranha.

WHY SHOULD YOU GO GREEN? IT’S JUST PLAIN SMART.

It’s not politics. It’s the heart of Scouting: promoting conservation and responsible outdoorsmanship. Do your own part to reduce your impact on the Earth:

• Recycle.
• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs.
• Turn off lights and unplug electronics when you’re done.
• Plant trees.
• Turn thermostats down in winter, up in summer.
• Drive less: Ride your bike, take a bus, walk or carpool.
• Take shorter showers to use less hot water.
• Encourage adults to buy energy-efficient appliances and cars.
• Properly inflate car tires.

YOU’LL NEED

• pruning clippers
• drill and 3⁄32-inch bit
• clamp
• scratch awl or nail
• white glue
• 2mm-diameter drafting lead, 2B grade (at art or office supply stores)
• utility knife or pocketknife
• adult permission or supervision

STEP 1: Find a twig. Look for one with interesting color, texture or with a forked shape. (The length of the twig, though, must be straight.) Hold the twig as you would a pencil to find the right size. Use pruning clippers to trim away unwanted parts. Check the twig for bugs (you don’t want any).

STEP 2: Clamp the twig to the edge of a workbench or piece of plywood. Be careful! Too much pressure can crush the twig.

STEP 3: Use a scratch awl or the point of a nail to make a dent at the center of the twig’s end. The dent will become the starting point for the drill bit.

STEP 4: Drill to a depth of 1 to 1 1⁄4 inches. Make sure to keep both hands on the tool!

As you drill, you may need to back out the bit to clear wood chips from the drill’s flutes (its spiral grooves). To do this, stop the drill and scrub the bit with an old toothbrush.

STEP 5: Squirt a small puddle of glue on a scrap of wood or cardboard. Roll the end of the lead in the glue, then work it back and forth in the hole to spread the adhesive.

STEP 6: Trim the lead by breaking it sideways against the twig. Let the glue dry overnight.

STEP 7: Sharpen the pencil with a sharp utility knife or pocketknife. Whittle away from your body, removing thin shavings as you work around the pencil. Use your imagination to personalize your pencil, or simply enjoy the colors and textures that nature provides.

1. Ten-Minute Bird Feeder

Cut four holes two inches from the bottom on each side of a half-gallon milk jug. Below each hole, make a small hole and poke dowels or sticks through the feeder. Ask an adult to drill a small hole in the cap.

Attach a string or metal coat hanger, fill with birdseed and hang it up.

2. Self-Watering Planter

Cut the top third off a two-liter plastic bottle. Ask an adult to drill a small hole in the cap. Pass a string through the hole. Fill the bottom of the bottle about half way with water. Place the top upside-down in the bottom and put in your plant. The string will wick up the water into the soil.

3. Ball Toss Game

Cut the bottoms off two one-gallon milk jugs. Make a ball from rolled-up

plastic grocery bags and tape. Enjoy a game of catch.

4. Quicker Berry Picker

Cut a hand-size hole opposite the handle on a one-gallon milk jug. Slide the handle onto your belt. You’re ready to pick and hold more berries.

5. Flying Saucers

Cut the bottom from a milk jug about three inches high. Cut three or four three-inch circles from the upper part of the jug. Try to sail the disks into the milk-jug bottom.

6. Garden Scoop or Boat Bailer

Cut a one-gallon milk jug at an angle as shown. This is great for spreading compost or removing water from a boat.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Utility knife
• Tape
• Saw
• Drill
• Roofing nails
• Glue
• 2 sheets of corrugated cardboard, 7 1/2 inches by 30 inches
• 2 2-by-2-by-12-inch connector boards
• Piece of poster board large enough to cover the bottom of the cooker
• 12-inch-wide aluminum foil
• 2 1-by-1-by-13 1/2-inch wood uprights
• Small wooden dowl, sharpened at one end

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Step 1. Using the utility knife, cut a curve from the two pieces of cardboard.

Step 2. Connect the curves together using the 12-inch connecting boards, glue and roofing nails.

Step 3. Bend the poster board over the curves, mark with a pencil and cut to size. Glue and tape in place.

Step 4. Spread glue evenly onto the poster board. Carefully glue down the aluminum foil. Make it as smooth as possible.

Step 5. Drill a hole in one upright, cut a notch on the other and glue in place.

Step 6. Aim the cooker at the sun, skewer your hot dogs, and get the rolls and mustard.

HOW IT WORKS

The sun reflects heat off the parabolic curve and concentrates it at a single point.