PITCH-IN CANADA
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Materials for Scouting

PITCH-IN CANADA Week:
Scouting for a Cleaner Future

by Valerie Thom*

Every year thousands of enthusiastic Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Venturers and Rovers demonstrate Scouting's commitment to the environment by participating in PITCH-IN CANADA's annual week-long campaign to clean up the world.

Held each spring across Canada, PITCH-IN CANADA WEEK encourages groups such as Scouting to undertake local projects to clean up, conserve, or improve the environment. In some areas, specially imprinted free garbage bags, courtesy of local sponsors, are made available to help in the campaign.

PITCH-IN CANADA is a national, non-profit organization which conducts environmental education and improvement programs that emphasize litter control and recycling.

Registering for the PITCH-IN CANADA WEEK campaign is easier than ever for busy Scouters. Just visit our website on the Internet. Click on www.PITCH-IN.ca to register your project then browse the site for information about environmental activities, ideas and information. (Of course, Scouters can still also write to PITCH-IN CANADA at this address to obtain a Project Registration Form.)

The outdoors and a clean environment are important highlights of Scouting programs. Beavers promise to "help take care of the world", while Cubs and Scouts can earn several badges (including the World Conservation Badge) which recognize outdoor skills and knowledge. Senior sections too focus their programs in the outdoors. Scouters in all sections can build a PITCH-IN project into their outdoor activities.

To find out more about PITCH-IN CANADA Week click here

The PITCH-IN CANADA WEEK campaign has many natural links to the Cub program with its emphasis on outdoor knowledge and skills, and doing a good turn. Participating in a community service project, such as a clean-up/beautification project, is one of the requirements for the Purple Star. The World Conservation Badge encourages Cubs to learn about their role in habitat and wildlife conservation through various activities including cleaning a waterway or removing trash .

Why not run a PITCH-IN clean-up/beautification projects while out on a hike (Hiking Badge and Green Star), while visiting a wilderness or conservation area (Black Star and World Conservation Badge), or during a winter camp, hike or outdoor meeting (Winter Cubbing Badge) ? Sort all the debris you collect into recyclable and non-recyclable materials, then deal with the marterials as appropriate (Recycling Badge). Some Cubs might want to make a poster publicizing PITCH-IN CANADA Week (first week in May) - a Tawny Star requirement.

Planning Your Project
Ask Cubs to look out for a suitable site for a clean-up and/or beautification project in your community. They might choose a

• local park
• stream
• ravine
• recreation ground
• cemetery
• vacant lot
• wildlife area
• schoolyard

The Sixers Council could discuss the many suggestions and choose a location. Next, leaders might help members draw up a plan. Cubs should list what equipment they will need, safety rules and necessry special preparations. The resources section of PITCH-IN CANADA's website provides more information about litter and its environmental impact, and outlines some safety rules for a clean-up project.

Contact local authorities and businesses as required to obtain permission, arrange for debris pick-up,and obtain tree and shrubs for planting.

Be sure to tell local media about your project. Tell them who, where, when, why, doing what, and how. Don't forget to invite them to see your pack "in action".

For a sample media release and information about how to deal with the media visit the PITCH-IN CANADA Week section of this website by clicking here

As part of a theme evening called " Helping to Take Care of The World" ask Beavers what springs to mine when we say the word "litter". Why is litter bad for people, animals and the environment? When we throw our candy wrappers,chip bags, pop bottles and sandwich wrap away and not in the garbage can, where is "away". Can they identify it ? What can we do if there is no garbage can nearby ? Can your Beavers name any places locally that are littered ? (Be ready with suggestions). Plan a clean-up of the area with your Beavers. Discuss proper clothing to wear (including garden or plastic gloves) and safety rules.

During the clean-up, discuss what the youth are finding, how it may have got there,and what could have been done by a person to prevent it from becoming litter in the first place. Emphasize personal responsibility for their environment. Enjoy a mug-up after the project. It's always a good way to say "thank you" to the Beavers for a job well done. As well, it will give them an informal chance to talk about the experience with each other - another opportunity to reinforce the message/.

Contact local authorities and/or businesses if needed, to obtain permission for the clean-up.

Here are some additional activities to get Beavers in the right frame of mind.

Picture This
Have Beavers draw and colour two pictures, one showing the littered place; the other illustrating what he/she is going to do about it.

Garbage Can Relay Game
For this game you will need: scrap paper or common litter items such as candy wrappers, chip bags (one piece per Beaver) and garbage cans (one per team or lodge). Give children several pieces of litter. Each Beaver runs up to the garbage can, throws one piece of litter in and runs back to tag the next Beaver. Older Beavers might want this game transformed into a garbage can litter toss, where they race up to a line several meters from the can and toss the litter at it.

Youth in the older sections of Scouting are well aware of the problem of environmental degradation through their extensive outdoor programs. Litter clean-ups can improve the wildlife habitat and visual appearance of such places. Why not ask youth in these older sections to identify a recreation/wilderness area that would benefit from a PITCH-IN project. Help them plan and carry it out. Don't overlook obtaining necessary permissions, additional volunteers, equipment, and supplies.

Be sure to register your project with PITCH-IN CANADA and be sure to get the media involved in some capacity. Register your project online at www.pitch-in.ca and download helpful suggestions on how to involve the media from PITCH-IN CANADA's online Resource Centre.

Clean-up Crests
PITCH-IN CANADA crests are a great way not only to recognize participation in environmental projects but also to say "thanks" to everyone who takes part. Each year PITCH-IN CANADA produces a crest unique to that year's PITCH-IN CANADA Week campaign and these have become collector items!. To find out about this year's campaign crest, click here or contact PITCH-IN CANADA at pitch-in@pitch-in.ca

Here's to a more beautiful Canada !

* Valerie Thom is Program Manager, PITCH-IN CANADA. In private life, Valerie has been involved in Scouting since 1986.

To obtain information about crests available from PITCH-IN CANADA for members of your section click here

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