World Thinking Day 2012

Each year on February 22, World Thinking Day, girls participate in activities and projects with global themes to honor their sister Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in other countries. World Thinking Day not only gives girls a chance to celebrate international friendships, but is also a reminder that Girl Scouts of the USA is part of a global community—one of nearly 150 countries with Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

World Thinking Day is part of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts Global Action Theme (GAT) based on the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which aim to improve the lives of the world's poorest people.

The theme for World Thinking Day 2012 is girls worldwide say "we can save our planet." This theme is based on United Nation's Millennium Development Goal 7 focused on environmental sustainability.

Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma is working to promote these same goals with our 100 Good Deeds.  The first 10 deeds apply to helping our environment and planet.  Get started on these and you will be well on your way to earning your 100 Good Deeds and saving the planet!  Click on this link to take you to the 100 Good Deed page on our website.  There are also many posters and other materials on this page to help the girls on their mission to “save the planet! “

100 Good Deeds

Note: 

The World Thinking Day award is now an OFFICIAL Award and therefore it may be worn on the front of the Official Uniform sash or vest.  To earn the award, girls complete one or more activities above.

Click here to order your World Thinking Day Award!

Thinking Day Ideas for Daisies:

• Look around the room you are in and try to find all the things that came from nature. For example, a wooden table was made from a tree or the glass window came from sand. With your Daisy friends, make a collage showing the
  links between the objects in the room and the natural world from where they came.

• Pick a country that you would like to visit some day.  With an adult’s help, learn about the county’s national tree, flower, bird and animal.  Then try to find some pictures showing nature in that country and ways people are working to protect their natural environment.

• Learn about an endangered species in your area.  Where does it live? What does it eat? What animals eat it? What are its habits? Why is it threatened with extinction? What can we do to help? Draw a picture or present a skit about what the environment would be like if that species goes extinct.

• Think of different ways to save water at your house and school. Draw a picture of them or make a list to display at your school, home or Girl Scout meeting place.

• Make creative “Switch-me-off” reminder notes and stick them on the light switches, electric appliances and water taps in your house, school or Girl Scout meeting place.

• Take a nature walk with your Daisy friends, and try to remember all the things you see on the walk.  What are their shapes, sizes, colors and textures (how do they feel?) Afterwards, share with your friends what you saw. If you would like to do more things like this, take the Between Earth and Sky leadership journey.

Thinking Day Ideas for Brownies:

• Go take a hike! Or a walk in a forest or park. Take along a camera or sketch pad and colored pencils. When done, choose five things you enjoyed such as
  the scent of plants or flowers, the sight of wildlife, or the feeling of clean air.
  Share your experience with your group.

• Make World Thinking Day cards (or other greeting, birthday or holiday cards) with reused materials and send them to your family members or friends explaining the importance of recycling and protecting the environment.

• Invite a returned Returned Peace Corps Volunteer to speak to your group about how the natural environment impacts people’s lives in the country where she/he served and compare her/his experiences with your own community. (See Peace Corps Speakers Tips Sheet).

• Think of all the things you know that use electricity. Make a list with your Brownie friends. Then go home and spend an hour without electricity—no TV, no lights, or other plug-ins. How did it feel? What did you miss most? Make a picture of what it was like and share with other Girl Scouts.

• Interview a grandparent or an elderly friend to find out what it was like when they were children. What type of home did they live in? Did they have television, electricity, running water in their home? What did they do for entertainment? How is your life different? How is your use of energy different?  Draw the things which are different and the things which are the same.

• Find out if your tap water is safe to drink. Then find out how much energy goes into the plastic needed to make water bottles.  Encourage your friends and family to carry recyclable water bottles with them at all times. If you would like to do more things like this, take the Wonders of Waters leadership journey.

Thinking Day Ideas for Juniors:

• Find out how much time it takes some common garbage items (paper napkins, eggshells, and plastic bags, sponges) to decompose in a landfill. Share this
  information with your parents, teachers and friends.

• Plan a trip to the local market or store to learn about local and imported products and textiles made from local natural fibers.

• Invite a returned Returned Peace Corps Volunteer to speak to your group about how the natural environment impacts people’s lives in the country where she/he served and compare her/his experiences with your own community. (See Peace Corps Speakers Tips Sheet).

• Learn about renewable energy and start and education campaign for wider uses of renewable energy sources in your community.

• Choose a country and learn as much as possible about the food and eating habits of the people in that country. Make a presentation to other Girl Scouts or your classmates.

• Have you ever thought about the energy use in your home? What about your family's recycling efforts? Make a list, recording your family's use of energy and recycling. Show your family your findings and try to make improvements over the next two weeks. For example, you can lower the thermostat by a degree or two, add cardboard packaging to your recycling efforts, unplug appliances while not in use, etc. Write down your achievements and share with your group.  If you would like to do more things like this, take the Get Moving leadership journey.
  
  

Thinking Day Ideas for Cadettes

• Is it sometimes too hot or too cold in your home – what do you do? Find out how people warmed up and cooled their homes back in the days before air conditioning and central heating. What are some things you can do? For example, during the winter turn down the heat and put on a sweater. Make sure your windows and doors are draft proof.

• Collect information about natural disasters such as droughts, heavy rains, heat waves, tropical cyclones, tornados, floods, tsunamis, or fires. How do they affect people’s life and food? Do you think they are caused by climate change? Create a presentation about how to respond to and prepare for them.

• Organize a trip to a farm and farmers market so you can learn about the crops (cereals, vegetables and fruit) that are grown and the animals that are raised in your area. If possible, try to see both a traditional farm and an organic farm, which does not use pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

• Invite a returned Returned Peace Corps Volunteer to speak to your group about how the natural environment impacts people’s lives in the country where she/he served and compare her/his experiences with your own community. (See Peace Corps Speakers Tips Sheet).

• Have you ever built a solar oven? With the guidance of adult volunteers, learn how: www.hometrainingtools.com/articles/build-a-solar-oven-project.html.  Then discuss, when and where might this be useful?

• Find out about renewable energy used around the world and build a demonstration model of a renewable energy source or organize a trip to a recycling center or a renewable energy plant, for example, a wind turbine. If you would like to do more things like this, take the Breathe leadership journey.

Thinking Day Ideas for Seniors:

• For one week, monitor the amount of packaging that comes into your home. Record types of packaging and what materials are used to make them. Make a sculpture out of the materials to show your group how much waste has been
  accumulated. How much of the packaging can be recycled? What can be done
  to reduce the amount of packaging? Discuss ways to improve the situation.

• Learn to sew, repair and adapt clothing and hold a fashion show with clothes made from items you can recycle.

• Research ways to travel to an environmentally-friendly tourist destination (see ecotourism, geo-tourism or sustainable tourism) Share with others how such tourism can contribute to the prevention of climate change.

• How can a change in weather patterns affect food production?  Learn about the impacts of climate change on farming, forestry, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture. Find out who is especially vulnerable to climate change. Where do they live? Share these facts with your class, group or friends.

• Find out about the possible impacts of climate change on your area, town or village. Share your results with your peers and discuss ways you can prepare for the changes.

• Investigate how much energy, water, or other recourses are needed to produce the food you like to eat. How can you change the food you eat so that you have a nutritious diet that has a smaller impact on the environment? Then, create informational posters which show how many resources are needed to produce each type of food.  If you would like to do more things like this, take the Sow What?  leadership journey.

Thinking Day Ideas for Ambassadors:

• Organize a trip to a local landfill, analyze if it is sustainable and speak to community leaders about what solutions are being proposed.

• Find out more about global climate change and the environment by getting in touch with those working on these issues (scientists, meteorologists, environmental groups, etc.)  Ask what they are doing and find out ways to take action.

• Inspire others by making a presentation to your school about environmentally friendly habits like: heating and air-conditioning classrooms, recycling of paper and other rubbish, using energy-efficient appliances and lights, or other environmentally friendly ways to live your lives and sustain the planet. 

• Consider how your daily life has an impact on your environment. How much energy, water and resources does it take to produce the things you eat, wear and use? Make a list of the ways you can reduce the energy and resources you use.  Make a plan and follow your plan for a month. Then share your experience with your class or other Girl Scouts and encourage them to follow your example. How much did you reduce your impact by? Where are you finding it hard to improve?

• Today lots of residential and commercial buildings are going green. Find examples in your community. Then discuss as a group how you would convert one building that you know into a green building.  What can you do to support that effort?

• Men and women are affected differently by the changing climate. And many of the world’s poorest people are rural girls and women in developing countries who depend on farming to feed their families. Find out how climate change could affect their food and water supply and how that affects their work. If you would like to do more things like this, take the Justice leadership journey.