Sustainability Merit Badge

Free Resources and Answers

Time: 2–6 weeks
Difficulty: Moderate
Setting: Home, community
Best For: Scouts interested in environment, conservation, daily habits
Hands-On Level: Moderate
Eagle Required: Yes*

*Either Sustainability merit badge or Environmental Science merit badge is required for the rank of Eagle. Scouts who earn both badges may count the second badge as an elective.

The Sustainability merit badge helps you learn how to care for the world around you. As you work on this badge, you will explore how people use resources like water, energy, and food. You will also learn how daily choices can affect the environment now and in the future.

While earning the Sustainability merit badge, you will look closely at your own habits. You will find ways to reduce waste, recycle more, and use resources wisely. You will also learn how small changes at home and in your community can make a difference over time.

The Sustainability merit badge gives you skills which can help you throughout your life. You will better understand conservation and responsible living. These lessons can help you at home, in school, and in future jobs. The badge also encourages you to think about how to protect resources for future generations.

Download the Sustainability Merit Badge Requirements

Sustainability Merit Badge Pamphlet

Sustainability Merit Badge Check Off Sheet

Checklist for All Merit Badges

Help with Answers for Sustainability Merit Badge Requirements

Find specific helps for some of the Sustainability merit badge requirements listed below. Some of these resources will just give the answers. Others will provide engaging ways for older Scouts to introduce these concepts to new Scouts.

• Requirement 1: What Is Sustainability?
• Requirement 2: Water
• Requirement 3: Food
• Requirement 4: Community
• Requirement 5: Energy
• Requirement 6: Stuff
• Requirement 7: Planetary Resources
• Requirement 8: Scouting
• Requirement 9: Careers

Requirement 1: Sustainability Basics

What You Need To Do

Describe what sustainability means using your own words. Talk about why sustainability matters for people and communities. Share ways you can help protect resources so future generations have what they need.

Helpful Tips

• Use simple examples from daily life like water, electricity, food, and trash.
• Talk about ways people use natural resources every day.
• Include ideas for reducing waste at home or at school.
• Give examples of reusing items instead of throwing them away.
• Mention recycling paper, plastic, metal, and glass.
• Include ways to save water, such as shorter showers or turning off faucets.
• Share ways to save energy, like turning off lights and unplugging chargers.
• Use examples from your own experiences and habits.
• Practice your explanation before meeting with your counselor.
• Watch the suggested videos and write down important ideas.

Resources

• What is Sustainability (video)
• Introduction to Sustainability (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to use examples from their own lives.
• Ask open-ended questions during discussions.
• Give Scouts time to organize their thoughts before speaking.
• Share simple local examples of conservation and resource use.

Requirement 2a: Household Water Use

What You Need To Do

Track how your household uses water. Look at water bills if they are available. Find changes in water use during different seasons and list three ways to reduce water consumption.

Helpful Tips

• Check water bills from different months of the year.
• Compare summer water use to winter water use.
• Include outdoor watering, pools, or car washing in your review.
• Count how many people live in your home.
• Look for dripping faucets or running toilets.
• Time your showers to see how long they last.
• Run dishwashers and washing machines with full loads.
• Turn off water while brushing your teeth.
• Water lawns early in the morning to reduce evaporation.
• Write down three realistic ways your family can save water.

Resources

• How We Use Water (video)
• The Water Cycle – Weather and Climate (video)
• The Water Cycle (video)

Leader Tips

• Help Scouts compare water use across seasons.
• Encourage Scouts to use real examples from home.
• Discuss local weather and outdoor water use.
• Remind Scouts to focus on practical conservation ideas.

Requirement 2b: Clean Water

What You Need To Do

Explain why people need water every day. Make a diagram showing where your household water comes from and where it goes after use. Share two ways to protect clean water in your community.

Helpful Tips

• Include drinking, cooking, cleaning, and farming in your explanation.
• Find out if your water comes from a river, lake, reservoir, or underground source.
• Add water treatment plants and pipes to your diagram.
• Show where wastewater goes after leaving your home.
• Include storm drains and sewage treatment plants if they apply in your area.
• Keep your diagram neat and easy to follow.
• Avoid pouring chemicals or oil down drains.
• Pick up trash near streams and storm drains.
• Use less fertilizer on lawns and gardens.
• Ask a parent or local utility for information about your water system.

Resources

• Facts About Water (video)
• The Water Cycle – Weather and Climate (video)
• The Water Cycle (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to use local water sources in their diagrams.
• Suggest simple drawings with arrows and labels.
• Discuss pollution sources found in the community.
• Help Scouts connect daily habits with water quality.

Requirement 2c: Floods and Droughts

What You Need To Do

Research flooding, drought, or both in your area or another location you choose. Describe how the area is affected and identify three practices used to reduce flooding or save water.

Helpful Tips

• Check local news or government websites for examples.
• Look for recent floods, dry periods, or water shortages.
• Include how weather affects homes, farms, roads, or parks.
• Research reservoirs, levees, rain gardens, or water restrictions.
• Include both successful and unsuccessful projects if possible.
• Compare city areas and rural areas if they face different problems.
• Use maps or photos to help explain your information.
• Write short notes about each conservation or flood control practice.
• Include ways people prepare before floods or droughts happen.
• Organize your information before talking with your counselor.

Resources

• Science Behind Drought (video)
• Assessing Drought in the United States (video)
• Understanding Floods (video)
• The Water Cycle – Weather and Climate (video)
• The Water Cycle (video)

Leader Tips

• Help Scouts connect weather events to local conditions.
• Encourage use of reliable local or government sources.
• Discuss how communities prepare for emergencies.
• Remind Scouts to include specific examples and practices.

Requirement 3a: Food Sources and Sustainability

What You Need To Do

Research different types of foods from plants, animals, and aquaculture. Pick four foods and trace where they come from, how they are processed, and how they travel to stores or homes.

Helpful Tips

• Choose foods with different sources like fruits, meat, fish, or dairy products.
• Include where each food is grown, raised, or caught.
• Find out if factories process or package the food.
• Look at how trucks, ships, or planes transport the food.
• Include how distance affects fuel use and freshness.
• Compare local foods with foods shipped from far away.
• Research fish farms if using aquaculture foods.
• Include farming methods used for each food source.
• Write short notes for each step from source to consumer.
• Use maps or diagrams to organize your information.

Resources

• Exploring Food Sustainability (video)
• Food Sustainability Basics (video)
• Food Systems Innovation (video)
• Matter and Energy in Food Webs (video)
• Food and Energy in Organisms (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to pick foods they use regularly.
• Help Scouts connect transportation with fuel use.
• Discuss differences between local and imported foods.
• Suggest simple charts or diagrams for organization.

Requirement 3b: Food Availability Around the World

What You Need To Do

Identify four things that limit food supplies in different parts of the world. Discuss how these problems affect food sustainability. Share three ways people or communities can grow or produce food locally.

Helpful Tips

• Include droughts, floods, wars, or poor soil in your research.
• Research how weather affects crops and livestock.
• Include transportation problems in remote areas.
• Look at how poverty limits access to food.
• Use examples from different countries or regions.
• Research community gardens and backyard gardens.
• Include indoor growing or container gardening ideas.
• Look at local farms or farmers markets in your area.
• Organize your information into clear categories.
• Use simple examples to explain each factor.

Resources

• Food Security (video)
• The 23 Food Regions of the World (video)
• Matter and Energy in Food Webs (video)
• Food and Energy in Organisms (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to use worldwide examples.
• Help Scouts connect local food production with sustainability.
• Discuss how weather and transportation affect food supplies.
• Remind Scouts to focus on clear and simple explanations.

Requirement 3c: Household Food Waste

What You Need To Do

Create a plan to reduce food waste in your household. Record your starting point and track your progress for two weeks.

Helpful Tips

• Check how much food your household throws away each day.
• Keep a notebook or chart for tracking waste.
• Include leftovers, spoiled food, and uneaten meals.
• Plan meals before grocery shopping.
• Store fruits and vegetables properly.
• Freeze extra food before it spoils.
• Use leftovers for lunches or future meals.
• Check expiration dates before buying more food.
• Measure your results at the end of two weeks.
• Include changes that worked well for your household.

Resources

• 5 Food Waste Reduction Tips for Your Home (video)
• Food Waste Reduction at Home (video)
• Matter and Energy in Food Webs (video)
• Food and Energy in Organisms (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to involve their families in tracking waste.
• Suggest simple charts or checklists for recording results.
• Discuss practical ways to reduce waste at home.
• Help Scouts focus on realistic goals and habits.

Requirement 4a: Sustainable Community Design

What You Need To Do

Create a sketch of a sustainable community. Include homes, schools, stores, workplaces, and transportation. Be ready to explain how these parts affect energy use, pollution, natural resources, and the local economy.

Helpful Tips

• Place homes close to schools and stores to reduce driving.
• Include sidewalks and bike paths in your design.
• Add buses, trains, or other public transportation options.
• Include parks and green spaces for recreation and shade.
• Use solar panels or other renewable energy sources in your sketch.
• Add recycling centers or compost areas.
• Include trees to help improve air quality and reduce heat.
• Show water-saving features like rain barrels or native plants.
• Keep factories or heavy traffic away from homes and schools.
• Label important areas clearly on your sketch.

Resources

• Designing a Sustainable Community (video)
• Creating a Sustainable Community (video)
• Impacts of Urbanization (video)
• What Happens When We Band Together? (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to include transportation and energy ideas.
• Ask questions about how daily travel affects pollution.
• Help Scouts connect community design with resource use.
• Suggest simple sketches with labels and arrows.

Requirement 4b: Unsustainable Practices

What You Need To Do

Find one practice in your community that wastes resources or causes pollution. Create a written plan with steps to improve the problem.

Helpful Tips

• Pick a problem you can clearly describe.
• Use local examples like litter, traffic, wasted water, or excess trash.
• Research why the practice causes problems.
• Include realistic solutions for your community.
• Add steps people can follow to improve the situation.
• Include costs, materials, or volunteers if needed.
• Write about who could help with the project.
• Include short-term and long-term goals.
• Use photos or notes from your community if helpful.
• Organize your plan into clear sections.

Resources

• Sustainable Communities (video)
• Community Sustainability (video)
• Impacts of Urbanization (video)
• What Happens When We Band Together? (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to focus on realistic local problems.
• Help Scouts create practical action steps.
• Discuss ways communities work together on improvements.
• Remind Scouts to keep plans clear and organized.

Requirement 4c: Housing Sustainability

What You Need To Do

Choose five sustainability features related to housing. Rate your home based on those features and discuss the results.

Helpful Tips

• Include energy use as one of your factors.
• Check insulation, windows, or heating and cooling systems.
• Include water use and water-saving features.
• Look at recycling and trash habits in your home.
• Include transportation choices connected to your home location.
• Research appliances that save electricity or water.
• Use a simple rating system like poor, fair, good, or excellent.
• Include examples to support your ratings.
• Ask family members questions about household habits.
• Use the environmental footprint calculator if available.

Resources

• Environmental Footprint Calculator (website)
• Impacts of Urbanization (video)
• What Happens When We Band Together? (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to use honest ratings and examples.
• Help Scouts compare different sustainability factors.
• Discuss practical home improvements families can make.
• Remind Scouts to keep ratings simple and clear.

Requirement 5a: Energy Sources and Sustainability

What You Need To Do

Research different energy sources used in the United States. Choose three common energy sources and describe how producing and using them affects sustainability.

Helpful Tips

• Include both renewable and nonrenewable energy sources in your research.
• Research coal, natural gas, solar, wind, hydro power, geothermal, nuclear, or petroleum.
• Find out how electricity is produced from each source.
• Include pollution or waste created during energy production.
• Compare renewable sources with fossil fuels.
• Research how mining or drilling affects land and water.
• Include how energy use affects air quality and climate.
• Look at fuel transportation and storage methods.
• Organize your information into clear sections for each source.
• Use charts or notes to compare advantages and disadvantages.

Resources

• Renewable Energy (video)
• Carbon Footprint (video)
• Energy Resources (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to compare multiple energy sources.
• Discuss how energy choices affect natural resources.
• Help Scouts connect daily energy use with sustainability.
• Suggest simple comparison charts or diagrams.

Requirement 5b: Family Energy Use

What You Need To Do

List eight ways your family uses energy at home and during transportation. Choose one home energy use and one transportation energy use and list three ways to reduce energy use and carbon emissions for each.

Helpful Tips

• Include heating, cooling, cooking, lighting, and electronics on your list.
• Add transportation like cars, buses, or airplanes.
• Look at how often each energy source is used.
• Turn off lights and electronics when not in use.
• Replace old light bulbs with energy-saving bulbs.
• Use programmable thermostats if available.
• Keep doors and windows closed when heating or cooling your home.
• Combine errands to reduce driving miles.
• Carpool, bike, or walk when possible.
• Write clear ideas for reducing fuel or electricity use.

Resources

• Your Carbon Footprint (video)
• Energy Resources (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to use examples from daily life.
• Help Scouts connect transportation with fuel consumption.
• Discuss practical ways families can reduce energy use.
• Remind Scouts to focus on realistic habits and solutions.

Requirement 5c: Reducing Home Energy Use

What You Need To Do

List five ways your family could reduce energy use at home. Include benefits and possible risks for each idea. Try to put some of the ideas into action if possible.

Helpful Tips

• Adjust thermostats a few degrees to reduce heating and cooling use.
• Open windows during mild weather instead of using air conditioning.
• Close blinds or curtains during hot afternoons.
• Lower water heater temperatures carefully.
• Take shorter showers to reduce hot water use.
• Wash clothes with cold water when possible.
• Replace dirty furnace filters regularly.
• Unplug chargers and electronics when not in use.
• Include both positive results and possible drawbacks for each idea.
• Track any changes your family tries during this requirement.

Resources

• Save Energy (video)
• Energy Resources (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to choose practical household changes.
• Discuss safety concerns related to heating and electrical systems.
• Help Scouts compare benefits and risks clearly.
• Remind Scouts to involve family members when testing ideas.

Requirement 6a: Personal Stuff

What You Need To Do

Make a list of 15 personal items you own. Mark each item as a need or a want. Find extra items you no longer use and donate, recycle, or repurpose them if possible.

Helpful Tips

• Include clothing, electronics, sports gear, books, or games on your list.
• Separate items you use often from items sitting unused.
• Mark basic items like soap or school supplies as needs.
• Mark entertainment or extra hobby items as wants.
• Check closets, drawers, and shelves for unused items.
• Ask family members if certain items can be donated.
• Recycle broken electronics or worn-out items when possible.
• Repurpose containers, boxes, or old clothing for other uses.
• Keep your list neat and organized.
• Record where donated or recycled items went.

Resources

• Decluttering (video)
• Why Do We Have So Much Stuff? (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to be honest about needs and wants.
• Discuss how unused items take up space and resources.
• Help Scouts identify local donation or recycling options.
• Remind Scouts to involve family members when removing items.

Requirement 6b: Too Much Stuff

What You Need To Do

List five ways having too much stuff affects people, communities, and the environment. Include impacts related to money, time, storage, health, maintenance, and waste. Share ways to avoid collecting too much stuff.

Helpful Tips

• Include clutter and storage problems in your examples.
• Research how extra purchases affect family budgets.
• Include time spent cleaning, organizing, or repairing items.
• Look at how crowded spaces affect stress or safety.
• Include trash and landfill problems caused by unused items.
• Research how factories use resources to make products.
• Write ways families can buy fewer unnecessary items.
• Donate or recycle items before buying replacements.
• Borrow or share items used only once in a while.
• Keep your ideas simple and connected to real situations.

Resources

• Decluttering (video)
• Why Do We Have So Much Stuff? (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to use examples from daily life.
• Discuss how consumer habits affect waste generation.
• Help Scouts connect personal choices with community impacts.
• Remind Scouts to focus on practical habits and solutions.

Requirement 6c: Waste and Recycling

What You Need To Do

Research how waste affects land, water, and air. Find out what the trash vortex is and how it formed. Research plastic recycling numbers and the lifespan and recycling options for one electronic device in your home.

Helpful Tips

• Research pollution caused by landfills and litter.
• Include how trash affects oceans, rivers, and wildlife.
• Research smoke or gases produced by burning waste.
• Find out how ocean currents created the trash vortex.
• Include where most of the trash in the vortex comes from.
• Research plastic recycling numbers from 1 through 7.
• Find out which plastics local programs usually accept.
• Choose an electronic device from your household for research.
• Include how long the device usually lasts before replacement.
• Research where electronics can be recycled safely.

Resources

• Decluttering (video)
• Why Do We Have So Much Stuff? (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to use reliable recycling information sources.
• Discuss local recycling rules and accepted materials.
• Help Scouts connect waste problems with daily habits.
• Suggest simple notes or charts for organizing research.

Requirement 7a: Sustainable Development Goals

What You Need To Do

Choose one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals from the list. Summarize the goal and describe how it affects people now and in the future.

Helpful Tips

• Pick a goal that connects to your interests or community.
• Research why the goal was created.
• Include current problems connected to the goal.
• Use examples from your town, country, or the world.
• Include how the goal affects families and daily life.
• Research projects or programs working toward the goal.
• Use facts or statistics from reliable sources.
• Include future challenges if the goal is ignored.
• Organize your ideas into clear sections.
• Practice explaining the goal in simple words.

Resources

• Sustainable Development Goals (video)
• Sustainable Goals (video)
• Clean Water Goal (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to choose goals connected to real-world issues.
• Help Scouts connect global goals with local examples.
• Discuss practical ways people support these goals.
• Remind Scouts to use clear and organized explanations.

Requirement 7b: Planetary Life-Support Systems

What You Need To Do

Research the systems that support life on Earth and how they work together. Describe how natural events or human actions can disrupt these systems and affect sustainability.

Helpful Tips

• Include soil, water, atmosphere, climate, oceans, and ecosystems in your research.
• Research how plants and animals depend on these systems.
• Include examples of how systems interact with each other.
• Look at how pollution affects air, water, and soil.
• Research droughts, storms, wildfires, or floods.
• Include how human activities change ecosystems.
• Use diagrams or charts if helpful.
• Explain how disruptions affect food, water, or wildlife.
• Keep your information organized and easy to follow.
• Use examples from current environmental events.

Resources

• Planetary Cycles (video)
• Earth’s Systems (video)
• 4 Spheres of Earth (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to connect systems together in their explanations.
• Discuss both natural events and human activities.
• Help Scouts organize information into clear categories.
• Suggest diagrams or labeled drawings for support.

Requirement 7c: Product Life Cycles

What You Need To Do

Research how products move through stages from design to disposal or reuse. Choose one product and describe each step in its life cycle.

Helpful Tips

• Pick a product you use often.
• Include raw materials used to make the product.
• Research where the materials come from.
• Include factories, packaging, and transportation.
• Describe how people use the product.
• Research what happens when the product wears out.
• Include recycling, reuse, or landfill disposal.
• Look at pollution or waste created during production.
• Use arrows or diagrams to organize the life cycle.
• Compare reusable and disposable products if possible.

Resources

• Product Life Cycle Assessment (video)
• Life Cycle Assessment Principles (video)
• Product Life Cycles (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to choose simple everyday products.
• Discuss how products use resources at every stage.
• Help Scouts connect waste and recycling with sustainability.
• Suggest charts or diagrams to organize information.

Requirement 7d: Population and Sustainability

What You Need To Do

Research how population growth affects Earth’s resources. Discuss three human activities that place pressure on the environment now and in the future.

Helpful Tips

• Research how growing populations increase resource use.
• Include water, food, housing, or energy needs in your examples.
• Research deforestation and land development.
• Include pollution from factories or transportation.
• Look at how waste increases as populations grow.
• Use examples from cities or rapidly growing regions.
• Research how farming changes land and water systems.
• Include how resource shortages affect communities.
• Organize your information into clear sections.
• Use current examples from around the world.

Resources

• Population Affects Resources (video)
• How Population Growth Impacts the Planet (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to focus on resource use and sustainability.
• Discuss how population growth affects communities differently.
• Help Scouts use specific examples instead of general statements.
• Remind Scouts to keep explanations simple and organized.

Requirement 7e: Species Decline

What You Need To Do

Explain what species decline means. Describe human activities connected to species decline, ways to help reverse it, and how species loss affects sustainability.

Helpful Tips

• Choose one or more animals or plants for examples.
• Research habitat destruction and pollution.
• Include overfishing, hunting, or invasive species in your research.
• Look at how climate changes affect plants and animals.
• Research protected areas and conservation programs.
• Include laws or projects that protect endangered species.
• Explain how food chains depend on healthy species populations.
• Use maps or photos if helpful.
• Organize your information into causes and solutions.
• Practice explaining the topic using simple examples.

Resources

• Should We Let Pandas Go Extinct? (video)
• Extinction Explained (video)
• Stop Extinction! (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to use specific species examples.
• Discuss how ecosystems depend on many species working together.
• Help Scouts connect human actions with environmental changes.
• Suggest simple charts or lists to organize information.

Requirement 7f: Climate Change and Sustainability

What You Need To Do

Find a map showing temperature changes over at least 100 years. Research three factors scientists believe affect global weather and temperatures. Discuss how climate change affects resources like food or water.

Helpful Tips

• Use maps or graphs showing long-term temperature changes.
• Research greenhouse gases and fossil fuel use.
• Include deforestation or ocean changes in your research.
• Look at how weather patterns change over time.
• Include examples of droughts, floods, or storms.
• Research how farming is affected by climate changes.
• Include water shortages or changing growing seasons.
• Use clear labels and notes for maps or graphs.
• Organize your information into causes and impacts.
• Practice explaining your findings in simple language.

Resources

• Global Warming From 1880 to 2022 (video)
• Global Temps Since 1850 (video)
• Timelapse of Planet Changes (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to use reliable scientific sources.
• Discuss how climate changes affect resources and communities.
• Help Scouts organize maps and research clearly.
• Remind Scouts to focus on practical examples and impacts.

Requirement 8a: Sustainability During Outdoor Activities

What You Need To Do

During a campout or outdoor Scouting activity, observe sustainability practices used by Scouts and leaders. Take notes about transportation, campsites, water use, sanitation, conservation, and other outdoor practices. Share your observations with your counselor.

Helpful Tips

• Carry a notebook or use your phone for notes if allowed.
• Watch how Scouts handle trash and recycling.
• Observe how campsites are cleaned before leaving.
• Look for ways Scouts protect plants and trees.
• Include how water is used for cooking and cleaning.
• Watch for proper dishwashing and sanitation methods.
• Observe whether campers stay on trails and paths.
• Include transportation methods used to reach the activity.
• Look for ways Scouts reduce waste and conserve resources.
• Organize your notes before discussing them with your counselor.

Resources

• Sustainable Camping Tips (Packing & Hiking) (video)
• What Does LNT Means to Scouts (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to observe real actions during activities.
• Discuss good campsite habits during the outing.
• Help Scouts connect outdoor skills with sustainability.
• Remind Scouts to focus on specific observations and examples.

Requirement 8b: Scouting Values and Sustainability

What You Need To Do

Discuss how the Scout Oath, Scout Law, Leave No Trace principles, and Outdoor Code support sustainability in everyday life.

Helpful Tips

• Connect being clean with caring for the environment.
• Include being thrifty and reducing waste.
• Use Leave No Trace principles as examples of conservation.
• Discuss proper trash disposal and campsite care.
• Include respect for wildlife and natural areas.
• Talk about conserving water and resources during activities.
• Use examples from home, school, or campouts.
• Include transportation and energy-saving habits.
• Organize your ideas around specific Scout values or principles.
• Practice explaining how daily habits affect the environment.

Resources

• Camping Tricks: The Scout Turn Around Rule LNT (video)
• Leave No Trace—And There’s a Song! (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to use personal examples from Scouting.
• Discuss how outdoor ethics apply at home and school.
• Help Scouts connect Scouting values with conservation habits.
• Remind Scouts to keep examples simple and practical.

Requirement 8c: Household Sustainability Changes

What You Need To Do

Identify five changes your family can make to improve sustainability at home. Discuss each change with your counselor.

Helpful Tips

• Include ways to save water and electricity.
• Use reusable bottles, containers, or shopping bags.
• Reduce food waste through meal planning.
• Recycle paper, plastic, metal, and glass when possible.
• Turn off lights and electronics when not in use.
• Use less hot water during showers or laundry.
• Walk, bike, or carpool when possible.
• Plant trees or native plants to support local habitats.
• Choose realistic changes your family can maintain.
• Write short notes about how each change helps sustainability.

Resources

• Sustainability in Your Life (video)
• 10 Ways to Take Care of the Environment (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to choose practical family habits.
• Discuss small changes that make long-term differences.
• Help Scouts focus on actions they can actually use.
• Remind Scouts to involve family members in discussions.

Requirement 9: Sustainability Careers

What You Need To Do

Research one career related to sustainability. Find out the education, training, and experience needed for the job. Discuss why the career interests you.

Helpful Tips

• Choose a career connected to the environment, energy, conservation, or community planning.
• Research what the person does during a normal workday.
• Find out where people in this career work.
• Include college degrees, certifications, or special training programs.
• Research skills needed for success in the career.
• Look for salary ranges and job outlook information.
• Include volunteer or internship opportunities related to the field.
• Use reliable websites, videos, or career resources.
• Write short notes to organize your research.
• Practice explaining why the career matches your interests.

Careers To Investigate Further

• Environmental scientist
• Park ranger
• Wildlife biologist
• Forester
• Civil engineer
• Urban planner
• Solar energy technician
• Wind turbine technician
• Recycling coordinator
• Water treatment operator
• Environmental educator
• Sustainability coordinator
• Conservation officer
• Landscape architect
• Marine biologist

Resources

• Career Paths in Sustainability (video)
• Green Jobs- Building for the Future (video)
• Sustainability Careers (video)

Leader Tips

• Encourage Scouts to pick careers connected to their interests.
• Help Scouts find reliable career information sources.
• Discuss how sustainability careers help communities and the environment.
• Remind Scouts to focus on education, skills, and daily responsibilities.

Nature and Environment Troop Program Feature

This environment-themed troop program helps youth leaders plan a month of meetings and an outdoor outing that support environmental learning and action. The activities and discussions align well with the Sustainability merit badge requirements, making it a great opportunity for Scouts to work on this badge. Scouts will learn about protecting resources, reducing waste, and understanding how their choices affect the planet.

This month’s theme encourages sustainable habits and includes hands-on projects, like tracking water or energy use and recycling. The outing gives Scouts a chance to practice “leave no trace” skills, reinforcing the importance of environmental responsibility.

Wildlife Management Troop Program Feature

The Wildlife Management troop program feature includes activities and lessons that connect with the Sustainability merit badge. Scouts will learn about protecting wildlife, conserving habitats, and understanding how human activities impact animal populations. This program encourages Scouts to explore sustainable practices that help preserve biodiversity, such as reducing pollution, protecting natural areas, and respecting wildlife.

Scouts can also observe local ecosystems and learn ways to minimize their environmental impact, both outdoors and at home. The skills and knowledge gained from this program will help Scouts understand their role in protecting wildlife and sustaining the natural world for future generations.

More Merit Badge Resources

The Sustainability merit badge helps Scouts understand how their choices affect the environment and their communities. It fits well within the merit badge program because Scouts can explore many areas, from outdoor skills to science and technology. This badge adds a practical look at long-term thinking and personal responsibility. It shows Scouts how daily habits connect to bigger issues like energy use, conservation, and waste reduction.

With more than a hundred merit badges to choose from, Scouts can shape their own path. Sustainability is one option that invites reflection and action. It supports the program goal of helping Scouts become aware, capable, and thoughtful. By learning how to care for resources, Scouts gain knowledge that applies to any future field they pursue.

Learn More about Scouts BSA

The Sustainability merit badge fits neatly into the wider Scouts BSA program. Leadership, fitness, and citizenship all rely on wise choices and steady habits. This badge teaches Scouts to look ahead, plan well, and accept responsibility for the impact they make. These skills support healthy living and strong character.

Scouts also learn how their actions affect others. This connects directly to the values of service and community. When Scouts practice sustainable habits, they show care for neighbors, the land, and future generations. In this way the badge strengthens the program’s focus on personal growth and good judgment.

What is the Sustainability merit badge about?

The Sustainability merit badge teaches Scouts how to use resources wisely to protect the environment. Scouts learn about conservation, reducing waste, and making choices that help people, communities, and nature thrive.

How is the Sustainability merit badge different from the Environmental Science merit badge?

The Sustainability merit badge focuses on ways to live sustainably by using fewer resources and reducing waste. It covers things like water, energy, and food choices. The Environmental Science merit badge is more about studying nature, pollution, and how ecosystems work.

Do I need to do any projects at home for the Sustainability merit badge?

Yes. For the Sustainability merit badge, you will observe and track things like water use, energy consumption, or household waste. You may need to try some changes at home, like reducing water or energy use, and then record your results.

What topics are covered in the Sustainability merit badge?

The Sustainability merit badge covers several areas, including water conservation, energy use, food choices, community sustainability, and waste management. You will also learn about how these topics connect to global issues like climate change and resource use.

What are the main requirements for the Sustainability merit badge?

For the Sustainability merit badge, Scouts will need to track and report on resources used in their home, such as water or energy. They’ll also discuss sustainable food and product choices, learn about climate and life-support systems, and explore community efforts for sustainability.

Do I need to talk to my family to earn the Sustainability merit badge?

Yes. Family involvement is encouraged for the Sustainability merit badge, especially when tracking energy, water, or food use at home. You might need to talk about household habits and work together to try sustainable practices.

Are there any outdoor activities required for the Sustainability merit badge?

Yes. Scouts often complete an outdoor observation for the Sustainability merit badge, like a campout, where they watch for sustainability practices related to transportation, water use, waste management, and habitat protection.

Do I need to learn about careers in sustainability for this merit badge?

Yes. Scouts will research a few career options in the sustainability field for the Sustainability merit badge. This could include jobs like environmental scientist, renewable energy engineer, or conservation biologist.

How can Scouts use what they learn from the Sustainability merit badge in everyday life?

The Sustainability merit badge helps Scouts make environmentally friendly choices, like conserving water, using less energy, and reducing waste. These habits can be practiced every day and shared with family and friends.

Why is sustainability important?

Sustainability helps protect resources so they’re available for future generations. It helps keep water, air, and soil clean, conserves energy, and protects wildlife. Learning these skills now makes a big difference in the future. The Sustainability merit badge helps Scouts learn about these issues.

The Sustainability merit badge helps Scouts understand how to protect the environment and use resources wisely. It covers important areas like water, energy, food, waste, and community efforts. Scouts explore what it means to live sustainably and how even small changes can make a big difference for the planet. This badge encourages Scouts to look closely at their own lives, homes, and communities to find ways to reduce waste, conserve energy, and protect nature.

One key part of the Sustainability merit badge is learning about water and energy use. Scouts track water or energy use at home and come up with ways to reduce it. By seeing how much water or energy they use daily, Scouts gain a clearer understanding of why conservation matters. They may also learn about renewable energy and how it can help the environment. This hands-on tracking shows Scouts how small changes, like using less water in showers or turning off lights, add up.

The Sustainability merit badge also looks at food, waste, and products. Scouts learn to make smart choices about what they buy, eat, and throw away. They explore how reducing, reusing, and recycling help limit waste. This badge shows that choosing local food, recycling, and buying less all play a role in protecting the Earth’s resources. It helps Scouts develop sustainable habits they can use every day and share with their families.

The Sustainability merit badge also teaches Scouts about the impact of human activity on the environment. By looking at things like climate change, pollution, and resource use, Scouts see why it’s important to protect Earth’s ecosystems. The Sustainability merit badge is about building a better future by learning to care for the world today.