WED

What might you ask is WED well let me give you a hint what is is about it has to do with the world and the environment. So what do you think it is all about.

If you guessed "World Environment Day" you would be corrected. So get out there and do something for the environment on June 5, 2009. On this day of you choose to participate you will be participating in a event that will have projects going on around the world.

Here is the full information release statement from the World Organization of the Scouting Movement:

Your Planet Needs You! Unite to Combat Climate Change on World Environment Day

On the 5th of June Scouts will join in the annual celebrations of World Environment Day, participating in environmental education activities, tree planting projects and community celebrations throughout the world. Scouts are an official partner with the United Nations Environment Programme to celebrate this day, with Luc Panissod, Secretary General of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, calling on our members to share their activities with the UNEP World Environment Day website. "World Scouting calls all young people, Scouts and non-Scouts, to engage with UNEP on the occasion of World Environment Day. Raising awareness on climate change and working towards achieving better living conditions has increased Scouting's commitment to addressing environmental issues. Youth empowerment is an integral part of World Scouting policy to invite young people to become agents of change"

Already, the World Organization of the Scout Movement have pledged their participation in the global tree planting drive of the Billion Tree Campaign and World Environment Day. Priority countries for tree planting activities by Scouts include Mexico, India, South Africa, Georgia, Lebanon, Malaysia, Hungary, Philippines, Brazil and Australia. Through this initiative the Scouts hope to plant 65,000 trees or more.

Mexico is the official host country for the United Nations World Environment Day (WED) 2009 celebrations and the Scout Association of Mexico are coordinating many activities, workshops and tree planting projects for this event. This will be accompanied by hundreds of other environment initiatives throughout the world to make this a truly global event.

The theme for WED 2009 is 'Your Planet Needs You! Unite to Combat Climate Change.' It reflects the urgency for nations to ‘seal the deal’ at the crucial climate convention meeting in Copenhagen some 180 days later in the year. It also raises a call for everyone to get involved, rethink actions and ways that result in wastage and heavy greenhouse gas emissions, and adopt a greener lifestyle. There are a number of easy-to-use campaign materials which can be downloaded on the website at http://www.unep.org/wed/2009/english/content/downloads.asp.

These include the WED logo, posters and several flash animations including a new feature, the Daily do something Tips. These are useful ideas on how to easily green your daily routine, and promotional materials that you can use on your website or through other publications.

Further, UNEP have started a global online tree-planting campaign for WED on Twitter. UNEP has pledged to plant 100,000 trees for 100,000 followers --or one for every follower if they can achieve more than 100,000-- by World Environment Day, 5 June. This effort supports the Billion Tree Campaign’s goal to plant a total of seven billion trees- one for every person on the planet- by year’s end. UNEP ask that supporters start following at www.twitter.com/UNEPandYou. Add your voice and twitter loudly!

As the WED slogan says, ‘Your Planet Needs You!’ Please register your activity at http://www.unep.org/wed

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08