Girl
Scouts of the USA today announced that Alcoa Foundation is sponsoring
nearly 700 Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from 12 countries within the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl
Scouts (WAGGGS) to “twin” together on local and global environmental “Take
Action” projects. All of the projects will engage at least 400 additional
youth, and more than 200 Alcoa (NYSE:AA) employees across more than six
countries have already served as volunteers. The girls are partnering to reduce
waste, conserve energy, and plant rain gardens as part of the Together Greening
program.
In an initiative that embodies the environmental mantra “Think Global,
Act Local,” throughout July and August, more than half of the 20 groups will
travel to meet their “twins” and see firsthand the environmental and societal
challenges faced by their “twin” group.
“Traveling to other countries and working side by side
with peers from different backgrounds provides many meaningful opportunities
for young women to become active environmental ambassadors and, more broadly,
learn about new cultures and gain valuable leadership skills. We’re proud to partner with GSUSA and WAGGGS
on this program and excited to see the impacts that the girls are already
realizing in communities around the world,” said Paula Davis, President, Alcoa
Foundation.
The 12 countries with girls participating in the Together
Greening project include: Australia, Brazil, China, Guinea, Iceland,
Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Suriname, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom,
and the United States.
The “twinning” activities include:
- Girls from Iceland traveling to Ohio to reduce the use of plastic bags and limit the amount of plastic debris in our waterways.
- Girls from South Carolina and Australia meeting at WAGGGS World Centre, Our Cabana, in Mexico, to join a recycling flash mob.
- Girl Scouts from New York traveling to England to teach younger girls about the merits of composting and recycling.
- Girls from Washington, D.C., going to China to build a rain garden and an organic vegetable garden.
- Girl Guides from Suriname visiting Arizona to learn about creating legislation to reduce plastic waste.
- Girls from Mexico meeting their twins in Tucson, Arizona to plant trees and vertical gardens.
The environmental impacts to date include:
- 64 million lbs. of waste eliminated
- 250,000 kWh of energy saved
- 400 million lbs. of Co2 saved
“Environmental stewardship has been a key part of Girl Scouting since
its inception and our partnership with Alcoa is an example of how today’s girls
work to protect the planet,” said Anna Maria Chávez, CEO, Girl Scouts of the
USA. “By collaborating on these environmental action projects, our girls are
making a lasting impact on the planet.”
Find out more about Together Greening at http://togethergreening.tumblr.com.