Hello! And welcome to the BSA Sustainability blog. My name is Zach Carson, and I am going to be your Sustainable Scout Leader this summer. What is a Sustainable Scout Leader you may ask? Join me this summer, and you will find out!

I am excited to invite you to join me on my summer journey across the United States visiting over 20 BSA camps and sharing my experiences and perspectives on Sustainability in Scouting. I will be seeking out best management practices that camps are using to reduce their environmental impact, save money and grow young leaders equipped with the skills, understanding and passion required to lead the country towards a more sustainable future.

Boy Scouts of America is sharing this information with the Scouting community because we believe that understanding sustainability and learning the tools necessary to reduce our impact on the planet is a critical component of being a Scout. Sustainability is no new thing to Scouting. Since the inception of BSA in 1910, foundations of Scouting have always been rooted in the philosophies of sustainability, conservation, community leadership, respect for the outdoors, and so much more. Nearly three million youth and over one million adult volunteers participate in Scout programs every year, and over 55,000 Eagle Scouts every year complete the program with a final public-service project. If you want to learn more about the depth of the Scouting network, click here. The Scouting network is huge, and the influence Scouts have around the world is incredible. In my opinion, there is no better organization and community of people who are more equipped to tackle issues associated with climate change and respond to many of the social, environmental and community challenges future generations face today, and in the future. Scouts lead by example, and this summer, I will be sharing ways that Camp Directors, Scout Executives and Scouts are embracing their role as sustainability leaders across the country.

We hope you follow my adventures this summer and embrace the strategies that are presented through this blog. In October, BSA will publish the organization’s first Sustainability Report designed to define how BSA views Sustainability and to create a base line to measure future progress and change. The report will be presented at the 2014 BSA Sustainability Summit in West Virginia. A Sustainability Best Practices Guide for Camps will also be published to give camps solutions they can use to reduce their environmental impact, save money and evolve their programs.

I think that Scouts are poised to be leaders in our country’s efforts to heal the planet. I will do my best this summer to share ways Scouts can and are being a part of the solution. The question is, are you up for the challenge?

I look forward to sharing with you this summer. I encourage everyone to leave your thoughts, comments and suggestions to my posts. My hope is that sharing these strategies, experiences and stories will lead towards productive conversation, creative solutions, diverse perspectives and inspiration for individuals, camps, the BSA and all the alumni and partners of Boy Scouts of America to step us up as proud American leaders for a more sustainability future.