Guides go green with climate change badge

IRISH Girl Guides have added a climate action badge for members who help in the battle against global warming.

The challenges involved include tree planting, planning for a domestic climate change emergency, monitoring personal water use and learning how to deal with extreme flooding.

The group’s youngest members, who are Ladybirds aged five to seven, will learn about global warming through activities, as will the Brownies.

The older girls and young women will study the links between human development and climate change globally.

The badge is a partnership between Trócaire and the Irish Girl Guides and was launched at their national conference in Galway at the weekend.

The IGG’s Sinéad Crilly explained that while they already have a badge that encourages recycling and conservation, the new one will ‘reinforce this message’.

‘We all need clean food, water and air,’ she said. ‘Rather than feeling helpless in the face of climate change, girls will discover how they can play their part to protect the world.’

Last year Ireland was ranked the worst in the EU and among the worst of the 56 countries surveyed for taking action in the Climate Change Performance Index.