If you’re preparing to earn the Eagle-required Environmental Science merit badge, you’re in the right place! In this guide, I’ll be providing you with all of the answers that you’ll need to complete your merit badge worksheet. In the process, you’ll also build a lifelong understanding of environmental science and conservation!
You’ve reached part 2 of my ultimate guide to the Environmental Science merit badge! If you’re new to ScoutSmarts, you should first check out part 1 for the answers to requirements 1-3 of the Environmental Science merit badge.
If you’ve just come over from part one, congratulations! You’re halfway done. Once you finish this badge, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge needed to understand and protect our planet’s resources. Give yourself a big pat on the back. 🙂
It’s time to get back into it! Take a minute to closely review and think through requirements 3-6 of the Environmental Science merit badge:
What Are The Environmental Science Merit Badge Answers?
- Do ONE activity from SEVEN of the following EIGHT categories (using the activities in the merit badge pamphlet as the basis for planning and carrying out your projects):
- 3a. Ecology
- Option 1: Conduct an experiment to find out how living things respond to changes in their environments. Discuss your observations with your counselor.
- Option 2: Conduct an experiment illustrating the greenhouse effect. Keep a journal of your data and observations. Discuss your conclusions with your counselor.
- Option 3: Discuss what is an ecosystem. Tell how it is maintained in nature and how it survives.
- 3b. Air Pollution
- Option 1: Perform an experiment to test for particulates that contribute to air pollution. Discuss your findings with your counselor.
- Option 2: Record the trips taken, mileage, and fuel consumption of a family car for seven days, and calculate how many miles per gallon the car gets. Determine whether any trips could have been combined (“chained”) rather than taken out and back. Using the idea of trip chaining, determine how many miles and gallons of gas could have been saved in those seven days.
- Option 3: Explain what is acid rain. In your explanation, tell how it affects plants and the environment and the steps society can take to help reduce its effects.
- 3c. Water Pollution
- Option 1: Conduct an experiment to show how living things react to thermal pollution. Discuss your observations with your counselor.
- Option 2: Conduct an experiment to identify the methods that could be used to mediate (reduce) the effects of an oil spill on waterfowl. Discuss your results with your counselor.
- Option 3: Describe the impact of a waterborne pollutant on an aquatic community. Write a 100-word report on how that pollutant affected aquatic life, what the effect was, and whether the effect is linked to biomagnification.
- 3d. Land Pollution
- Option 1: Conduct an experiment to illustrate soil erosion by water. Take photographs or make a drawing of the soil before and after your experiment, and make a poster showing your results. Present your poster to your counselor.
- Option 2: Perform an experiment to determine the effect of an oil spill on land. Discuss your conclusions with your counselor.
- Option 3: Photograph an area affected by erosion. Share your photographs with your counselor and discuss why the area has eroded and what might be done to help alleviate the erosion.
- 3e. Endangered Species
- Option 1: Do research on one endangered species found in your state. Find out what its natural habitat is, why it is endangered, what is being done to preserve it, and how many individual organisms are left in the wild. Prepare a 100-word report about the organism, including a drawing. Present your report to your patrol or troop.
- Option 2: Do research on one species that was endangered or threatened but which has now recovered. Find out how the organism recovered, and what its new status is. Write a 100-word report on the species and discuss it with your counselor.
- Option 3: With your parent’s and counselor’s approval, work with a natural resource professional to identify two projects that have been approved to improve the habitat for a threatened or endangered species in your area. Visit the site of one of these projects and report on what you saw.
- 3f. Pollution Prevention, Resource Recovery, and Conservation
- Option 1: Look around your home and determine 10 ways your family can help reduce pollution. Practice at least two of these methods for seven days and discuss with your counselor what you have learned.
- Option 2: Determine 10 ways to conserve resources or use resources more efficiently in your home, at school, or at camp. Practice at least two of these methods for five days and discuss with your counselor what you have learned.
- Option 3: Perform an experiment on packaging materials to find out which ones are biodegradable. Discuss your conclusion with your counselor.
- 3g. Pollination
- Option 1: Using photographs or illustrations, point out the differences between a drone and a worker bee. Discuss the stages of bee development (eggs, larvae, pupae). Explain the pollination process, and what propolis is and how it is used by honey bees. Tell how bees make honey and beeswax, and how both are harvested. Explain the part played in the life of the hive by the queen, the drones, and the workers.
- Option 2: Present to your counselor a one-page report on how and why honey bees are used in pollinating food crops. In your report, discuss the problems faced by the bee population today, and the impact to humanity if there were no pollinators. Share your report with your troop or patrol, your class at school, or another group approved by you
- Option 3: Hive a swarm OR divide at least one colony of honey bees. Explain how a hive is constructed.*
- 3h. Invasive Species
- Option 1: Learn to identify the major invasive plant species in your community or camp and explain to your counselor what can be done to either eradicate or control their spread.
- Option 2: Do research on two invasive plant or animal species in your community or camp. Find out where the species originated, how they were transported to the United States, their life history, how they are spread, and the recommended means to eradicate or control their spread. Report your research orally or in writing to your counselor.
- Option 3: Take part in a project of at least one hour to eradicate or control the spread of an invasive plant species in your community or camp.
- 3a. Ecology
- Choose two outdoor study areas that are very different from one another (e.g., hilltop vs. bottom of a hill; field vs. forest; swamp vs. dry land). For BOTH study areas, do ONE of the following:
- Option 1: Mark off a plot of 4 square yards in each study area, and count the number of species found there. Estimate how much space is occupied by each plant species and the type and number of nonplant species you find. Report to your counselor orally or in writing the biodiversity and population density of these study areas.
- Option 2: Make at least three visits to each of the two study areas (for a total of six visits), staying for at least 20 minutes each time, to observe the living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem. Space each visit far enough apart that there are readily apparent differences in the observations. Keep a journal that includes the differences you observe. Discuss your observations with your counselor.
- Identify the items that would need to be included in an environmental impact statement for a construction project such as building a house, adding a new building to your Scout camp, or one you create on your own that is approved by your counselor.
- Find out about three career opportunities in environmental science. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.
*Before you choose requirement 3g(3), you will need to first find out whether you are allergic to bee stings. Visit an allergist or your family physician to find out. If you are allergic to bee stings, you should choose another option within requirement 3. In completing requirement 3g(3), your counselor can help you find an established beekeeper to meet with you and your buddy. Ask whether you can help hive a swarm or divide a colony of honey bees. Before your visit, be sure your buddy is not allergic to bee stings. For help with locating a beekeeper in your state, visit www.beeculture.com and click on “Resources,” then select “Find Help” and “Find a Local Beekeeper.”
3) Do ONE activity from SEVEN of the following EIGHT categories (using the activities in the merit badge pamphlet as the basis for planning and carrying out your projects):
To jump to requirements 3a) and 3b) in my previous article, click here!
3c) Water Pollution
—Option 1: 3c(1) Conduct an experiment to show how living things react to thermal pollution. Discuss your observations with your counselor.
–Option 2: 3c(2) Conduct an experiment to identify the methods that could be used to mediate (reduce) the effects of an oil spill on waterfowl. Discuss your results with your counselor.
—Option 3: 3c(3) Describe the impact of a waterborne pollutant on an aquatic community. Write a 100-word report on how that pollutant affected aquatic life, what the effect was, and whether the effect is linked to biomagnification.
Acid rain is one of the main causes of water pollution. You already know a lot about acid rain from my previous guide, right? Do you see how everything that you’ve been learning has been building on itself! 🙂
Alright, time to talk about water pollution. First, watch the quick video on water pollution (1:16) below. Then, we’ll dive into some of the causes of waterborne pollutants, biomagnification, and its effect on aquatic life.
Contaminated water harms marine life and humans, alike. That’s why it’s so important to reduce the number of pollutants we release into our environment. To briefly recap, some of the main causes of water pollution include:
- Improper dumping of chemical waste
- Garbage being dumped into lakes, streams, and oceans
- Increases in temperature
- Pesticides
- Oil spills
- Acid rain
Be sure to do further research and write out your worksheet answers in your own words. Now, let’s pause for a second to take a closer look at how dumping garbage into lakes can negatively impact aquatic life.
How Does Biomagnification Affect Aquatic Life?
Biomagnification is a term that refers to the increase of contaminated substances or chemicals that enter into food chains. When small fish consume bits of garbage like plastics and other small pieces of debris, it will build up in their bodies. But wait, it gets worse.
It isn’t a direct problem for us that small fish are becoming filled with plastics and toxic chemicals. However, the creatures that eat the small fish: salmon, bass, and tuna, are just a few examples of the larger fish we eat. The more pollutants we release into nature, the more garbage we’ll begin to find in our own food!
Now you know everything you’ll need to write about in your report. If you’d like to write about a different topic (hermit crabs) this article provides a ton of reliable information on recent studies which shows the impact of plastic pollution on marine life.
3d) Land Pollution
—Option 1: 3d(1) Conduct an experiment to illustrate soil erosion by water. Take photographs or make a drawing of the soil before and after your experiment, and make a poster showing your results. Present your poster to your counselor.
—Option 2: 3d(2) Perform an experiment to determine the effect of an oil spill on land. Discuss your conclusions with your counselor.
—Option 3: 3d(3) Photograph an area affected by erosion. Share your photographs with your counselor and discuss why the area has eroded and what might be done to help alleviate the erosion.
Erosion is the natural process of the earth’s crust being weathered away by wind, water, ice, waves, plants, animals, or humans. You can see examples of erosion anywhere — just take a look at almost any cliffside and you’re bound to see an eroded slope.
To learn more about the science behind erosion, watch the super-instructive video (4:06) below!
Now that you know the causes and effects of erosion, it’s time that you find and photograph some eroded landscapes, yourself! As you saw in the video, examples of eroded landscapes include rock formations, mountains, and narrow riverbeds. The Grand Canyon would be a great example of an eroded landscape you could photograph!
How Can You Help Alleviate Erosion?
Have you ever driven near one of those cliffside areas where they have support beams and nets to catch the rocks that would otherwise fall into the road? Well, that’s one way humans use to alleviate erosion! Other methods to slow erosion include:
- Planting deep-rooted vegetation: This is one of the best ways to reduce erosion! Soils will often flow away in heavy rains, but strong grasses like vetiver will prevent the land from eroding away as easily.
- Creating terraces: Terraces help to prevent water runoff, which is one of the most common causes of erosion.
- Mulching: Creating a cover layer to adsorb rainfall and protect the soil below will also greatly reduce erosion.
Now, you’re practically an erosion expert! Get out there and take some pictures of erosion. Then, have a chat with your counselor and discuss how you can help alleviate the problem within your own community.
3e) Endangered Species
—Option 1: 3e(1) Do research on one endangered species found in your state. Find out what its natural habitat is, why it is endangered, what is being done to preserve it, and how many individual organisms are left in the wild. Prepare a 100-word report about the organism, including a drawing. Present your report to your patrol or troop.
—Option 2: 3e(2) Do research on one species that was endangered or threatened but which has now recovered. Find out how the organism recovered, and what its new status is. Write a 100-word report on the species and discuss it with your counselor.
—Option 3: 3e(3) With your parent’s and counselor’s approval, work with a natural resource professional to identify two projects that have been approved to improve the habitat for a threatened or endangered species in your area. Visit the site of one of these projects and report on what you saw.
If you choose to complete option 2, I’d definitely recommend learning about our country’s national symbol, the bald eagle. Just a little over 50 years ago, the population of wild bald eagles had fallen into the low hundreds. These magnificent birds were on the brink of extinction!
How did things turn out for our beloved national bird? It’s time to put on your research hat and find out! Eagles.org has done a fantastic job detailing the recovery of bald eagles in North America. You can easily write your 100-word report after checking out their article, here.
PS: If bald eagles had gone extinct, would we still earn the Eagle Scout award? I don’t think becoming a ‘Pelican Scout’ has the same ring to it… (Does this count as a dad joke? lol)
If you’d like to research a different species that was saved from the brink of extinction, here are a few more options:
- Humpback Whales
- Sea Lions
- White Rhinos
- Siberian Tigers
- Flying Squirrels
- Grizzly Bears
3f) Pollution Prevention, Resource Recovery, and Conservation
—Option 1: 3f(1) Look around your home and determine 10 ways your family can help reduce pollution. Practice at least two of these methods for seven days and discuss with your counselor what you have learned.
—Option 2: 3f(2) Determine 10 ways to conserve resources or use resources more efficiently in your home, at school, or at camp. Practice at least two of these methods for five days and discuss with your counselor what you have learned.
—Option 3: 3f(3) Perform an experiment on packaging materials to find out which ones are biodegradable. Discuss your conclusion with your counselor.
When I first learned about conservation, I was taught to always keep the 3 big R’s in mind: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. I’m sure you’ve heard of this, but I want to tell you a lesser-known fact about the 3 R’s. Reduce, reuse, and recycle are listed in order of importance!
How Do the 3 R’s Help With Conservation?
I was shocked when I found this out a few years after learning about the 3 R’s, but it makes sense. Here’s how it works when put into practice:
- Reduce: Reducing your pollution means lowering your consumption. To do this, think twice before purchasing anything — even if it’s a good deal. Don’t purchase cheap things you’ll only use once. Instead, buy durable, necessary, and sustainably-sourced items. Reducing your purchases is the most effective way to combat waste.
- Reuse: Try to reuse your items before immediately throwing them out. For instance, maybe you can repurpose disposable containers instead of just throwing them away. By reusing, you’ll lengthen the life of your belongings and lower the amount of garbage you produce.
- Recycle: Finally, if an item can’t be reused and must be thrown out, be sure to properly recycle it if possible. Recycling is the process of turning old, clean materials into new products. Keep in mind though, recycling is an energy-consuming process, and dirty materials can’t be recycled. I’d encourage you to do some research on what can and can’t be recycled. It’s very interesting!
Now that you know the 3 R’s, it’s time to learn a few ways to reduce pollution in your own home. Watch the short video (4:18) below for some smart ways to reduce your carbon footprint as a student.
Hopefully, you can try out some of her ideas such as using digital notes or doing your practice problems on an erasable surface. If you’re looking for a few more home sustainability ideas, some of the things I personally do to reduce my impact on the environment include:
- Using a dishtowel with a small amount of soap to clean household surfaces, instead of using disposable wipes
- Rewearing jeans and other non-dirty articles of clothing (This also stops clothes from becoming worn out as quickly)
- Donating gently-used items instead of throwing them away
- Purchasing reusable or refillable items instead of one-time-use ones
- Mostly cooking my own food instead of eating out
- Trying to reduce ingredient waste (EX: turning a chicken carcass into stock or composting)
- Carpooling and batching errands to avoid driving as often
- Turning off lights that I’m not using
- Taking quick showers
- Not buying things I don’t need (this isn’t easy, but it really helps!)
By now you should be a sustainability expert! Choose at least 2 of the methods you’ve just learned and practice them within your household for at least the next 7 days (but preferably forever). Or, come up with a few pollution-reducing ideas of your own. Afterward, be prepared to discuss your findings with your merit badge counselor.
Remember, what you’re doing should be helping your family to reduce, reuse, or recycle. Put these 3 R’s into practice, and you’ll definitely be doing your part to conserve our planet’s resources! 🙂
3g) Pollination
—Option 1: 3g(1) Using photographs or illustrations, point out the differences between a drone and a worker bee. Discuss the stages of bee development (eggs, larvae, pupae). Explain the pollination process, and what propolis is and how it is used by honey bees. Tell how bees make honey and beeswax, and how both are harvested. Explain the part played in the life of the hive by the queen, the drones, and the workers.
—Option 2: 3g(2) Present to your counselor a one-page report on how and why honey bees are used in pollinating food crops. In your report, discuss the problems faced by the bee population today, and the impact to humanity if there were no pollinators. Share your report with your troop or patrol, your class at school, or another group approved by you
–Option 3: 3g(3) Hive a swarm OR divide at least one colony of honey bees. Explain how a hive is constructed.*
You’ll only need to do seven of the eight options available to complete requirement 3, and learning about bees is the hardest of the bunch. However, if you’re interested in bees (because they’re vital to humankind’s survival!), I’d highly recommend you watch the documentary (43:56) below.
I know it’s a long film, but it’ll teach you almost everything you’ll need to know about the lives of bumblebees! While you still might need to look up a few facts afterward, the beautiful imagery in this video will give you the best understanding of bees possible. 😀
3h) Invasive Species
—Option 1: 3h(1) Learn to identify the major invasive plant species in your community or camp and explain to your counselor what can be done to either eradicate or control their spread.
—Option 2: 3h(2) Do research on two invasive plant or animal species in your community or camp. Find out where the species originated, how they were transported to the United States, their life history, how they are spread, and the recommended means to eradicate or control their spread. Report your research orally or in writing to your counselor.
—Option 3: 3h(3) Take part in a project of at least one hour to eradicate or control the spread of an invasive plant species in your community or camp.
First, let’s talk about what exactly invasive plants actually are. Invasive plants are organisms that have recently been introduced to a new geographic area by humans. These plants tend to spread uncontrollably and often cause damage to the environment or human health.
Invasive plants disrupt the delicate balance within natural ecosystems and lead to a lack of biodiversity. For example, kudzu vines are an invasive species from Asia that have spread to the United States. These invasive vines blanket forests and cause native trees to die from a lack of sunlight.
The easiest ways to discover what invasive plants grow in your area are by either asking an expert or by googling “invasive plants” followed by the name of your city. For example, I could Google, “invasive plants San Diego” and click on the .gov result to find an extensive list of local invasive weeds.
Tip: If you’re unable to find a list of invasive plants in your city, you could also try looking for a list of invasive plants in your state. From there, ask your merit badge counselor if two of those plants grow in your community.
Once you’ve found a list of invasive plants in your area, choose three that you’d like to learn more about. Your state might have ratings on the severity of each invasive species. If this rating is shown on your list, choose the plants that are most widespread. Write the names of these three invasive plants down. Now it’s time to start researching!
On the invasive plants website I found, there was an option to click on each plant to learn more. There, I was able to find a nifty illustration and some interesting information on each of the plans I’d chosen. However, if your website doesn’t have a gallery, simply Google the plant names that you wrote down earlier, and save an image of what each plant looks like.
How Can The Spread of Invasive Plants be Controlled?
During your earlier research, you might’ve already learned about ways to control the spread of invasive species. If not, here are the three most widely used methods:
- Manual removal: This method is very effective for removing invasive plants on a smaller scale. Basically, you remove invasive plants by pulling them out by hand or by digging them out of the ground. Personally, I did this a lot as a Scout!
- Chemical removal: Herbicides can be used to kill invasive species, but they often will kill good plants as well. One solution to use herbicide injection methods. This means placing the herbicide specifically on invasive species. Herbicide injection is a mix between manual and chemical removal. Be cautious when using chemical control methods — unlicensed chemical spraying in some areas is illegal.
- Mowing or weed whacking: This is one of the best methods for clearing a large area, but is less effective in ensuring the invasive plants don’t grow back. By later planting native species in areas where invasive plants were cut down, these good plants can sap the area’s root reserves and outgrow the invasive species
Whenever an area filled with native plants is killed off by invasive species, we all lose something. Local wildlife lose their habitats, bees lose their sources of pollen, and we lose plants that might contain the keys to life-saving innovations.
I hope this section has gotten you thinking about the importance and beauty of biodiversity. This is our planet that you’re learning about! Now that you’ve made it to requirement 4, it’s time to put these lessons into practice. Onward we go. 🙂
4) Choose two outdoor study areas that are very different from one another (e.g., hilltop vs. bottom of a hill; field vs. forest; swamp vs. dry land). For BOTH study areas, do ONE of the following:
—Option 1: 4a) Mark off a plot of 4 square yards in each study area, and count the number of species found there. Estimate how much space is occupied by each plant species and the type and number of nonplant species you find. Report to your counselor orally or in writing the biodiversity and population density of these study areas.
—Option 2: 4b) Make at least three visits to each of the two study areas (for a total of six visits), staying for at least 20 minutes each time, to observe the living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem. Space each visit far enough apart that there are readily apparent differences in the observations. Keep a journal that includes the differences you observe. Discuss your observations with your counselor.
Requirement 4 of the Environmental Science merit badge will require you to get your hands dirty! Both of these options are a lot of fun to complete, so I’d recommend you choose whichever one you’d enjoy the most. Personally, I completed option 1. Below are a few tips that should make completing option 1 easier:
- Take lots of pictures! Personally, I took a photo of every specimen type I found. Later, I used my photos to better discuss what I observed with my merit badge counselor.
- Set up your 2-yard by 2-yard zone in an area with varying landscapes. You can even place it around a tree! This should help you to find more biodiversity.
- Keep a numbered tally of the most common specimens in your area. Also, note down their size. By getting an actual count of the organisms in your zone, you’ll be able to appreciate just how much life exists in such a small space!
Now, it’s time for you to get started on either of the above options! By conducting experiments and discovering answers for yourself, you’ll learn more than any pamphlet can ever teach you. Get out there and have fun!
5) Identify the items that would need to be included in an environmental impact statement for a construction project such as building a house, adding a new building to your Scout camp, or one you create on your own that is approved by your counselor.
For all you soon-to-be Eagle Scouts out there, listen closely! An EIS will be key to getting your Eagle project off the ground. First, let’s cover the definition of an environmental impact statement (EIS). Basically, an environmental impact statement is a document that details the potential positive and negative environmental effects of a proposed project.
According to the NY state government, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) should include 5 key components:
- A description of the action, including its need and benefits
- A description of the environmental setting and areas to be affected
- An analysis of all environmental impacts related to the action
- An analysis of reasonable alternatives to the action
- Identification of ways to reduce or avoid adverse environmental impacts
As an example, let’s say that you’re trying to build a house on forested land. A short EIS for this type of project could potentially look like this:
- A description of the action, including its need and benefits: I will be constructing a house to shelter a family of four. This is necessary to provide warmth and serve as their primary home.
- A description of the environmental setting and areas to be affected: This home will be constructed on forested land. Materials will be purchased, the land must be cleared, and the area must be leveled. This will potentially lead to water runoff, which could cause erosion or other environmental damage.
- An analysis of all environmental impacts related to the action: A concrete slab will need to be poured, walls must be constructed from trees, etc.
- An analysis of reasonable alternatives to the action: We could use stone tiling instead of pouring a concrete slab, or drywall instead of wood siding to conserve forest resources, etc.
- Identification of ways to reduce or avoid adverse environmental impacts: We could buy an already existing house to build upon instead of starting from scratch and using more resources. We could purchase recycled or ethical materials for construction.
Many Scouts, myself included, have used this requirement as an opportunity to plan their Eagle Projects. If you’re a Star Scout or above, I’d highly recommend you do the same. For my full guide on planning, organizing, and leading an awesome Eagle Scout project, click here!
I’d recommend noting your ideas in bullet points when answering each step to make drafting your statement even easier and more straightforward. By using this process to draft your EIS, you’ll be all set to go! Moving forward, try to practice what you’ve learned and write up an EIS the next time you’re working on a project that could potentially impact the environment!
6) Find out about three career opportunities in environmental science. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.
1. Environmental Lawyer:
If you love the American justice system and also want to make a positive impact on our planet, you might consider becoming an environmental lawyer. There are 11 categories of environmental law that environmental lawyers can practice. Some of those categories include:
- Environmental impact assessments
- Chemical safety
- Wildlife and plants
- Air quality
- Fish and game
Environmental lawyers protect these categories by representing communities, organizations, farmers, and even wildlife in court. The role of an environmental lawyer is to enforce environmental protection and prevent the illegal destruction of our planet’s natural resources.
2. Environmental Scientist:
How can we talk about environmental science without learning about the role of an environmental scientist? While ‘environmental scientists,’ can specialize in many different fields, here are a few job functions that practically all environmental scientists work to accomplish:
- Identifying environmental hazards
- Collecting and analyzing natural resources samples
- Writing detailed reports to share findings with stakeholders and the public
- Advising organizations, businesses, and governments, in creating environmentally sustainable solutions.
- Providing solutions to protect humankind from pollution, climate change, or other harmful environmental factors
Environmental scientists are also the individuals working to create breakthroughs in our sustainability practices. By discovering better chemical methods of recycling or working to repair the hole in our ozone, these scientists pave the way for humanity’s advancement!
3. Environmental Engineer:
Both of my parents worked for the government in the environmental engineering field, so this career path is especially close to my heart! Environmental engineers use their knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering to create environmentally sustainable solutions.
For instance, my mom would often assist farmers in building erosion control methods on their property. The methods that she worked with them on devising helped to conserve water, reduce pesticide use, and saved the farmers money!
To become an environmental engineer, you’ll need to earn at least a bachelor’s degree (nowadays it’ll likely be a master’s), complete a 4-year certification program, and earn your state professional engineering license. I’ll break down each of these sections in more detail below:
- University requirements: At a minimum, you’ll need to earn a bachelor’s of science (BS) degree in general, civil, mechanical, or chemical engineering. However, I’ve found that most engineers these days spend at least six years in university and have a master’s degree.
- Internship requirements: Most environmental engineers gain experience through at least 2 STEM-related internships while in college. Graduating from a program accredited by the accreditation board for engineering and technology (ABET) will increase your odds of getting into a training program.
- Testing requirements: Environmental engineers must first pass the fundamentals of engineering exam (FE), then later, the professional engineering exam (PE) to work as licensed engineers
- Experience-based requirements: Between taking the FE and PE exams, a prospective environmental engineer must gain at least four years of relevant working experience.
Full-fledged environmental engineers can also seek board certifications to bolster their resumes. For instance, the AAEES certification is often the next step for exemplary engineers who’ve demonstrated their expertise in environmental science.
While the amount of work that goes into becoming an environmental engineer is comparable to the work it takes to become a lawyer or doctor, the average pay is significantly less.
However, if you want to become an environmental engineer, don’t let that deter you. I’ve heard firsthand that the work of an environmental engineer is incredibly rewarding. Plus, by pursuing this career, you’ll be in a fantastic position to protect our planet and its people!
Conclusion
Congratulations, you’ve made it! By now you should have a solid understanding of ecosystems, environmental terminology, and career paths in environmental science Your knowledge puts you in a great position to educate others and to positively impact our planet. Well done. 🙂
If you found this post helpful, I’ve also written guides to many of the other Eagle-required merit badges. I’d definitely recommend checking out my comprehensive difficulty rankings for every Eagle-required merit badge if you haven’t seen it already.
Hope this resource helped you to answer every requirement of your merit badge worksheet in your own words! I’m looking forward to having you back at ScoutSmarts soon because I’m constantly uploading new articles to support Scouts like yourself. Until next time, best of luck on your Scouting journey!
(Click here to return to part 1 of my guide to the Environmental Science merit badge!)