Did you know that sponges, latex gloves, paint, cellophane and even rayon in clothes comes from parts of trees? How about the fact that methane gas from landfills could help heat your home; that every part of a computer can be recycled; or that you can save a lot of water by taking a 7-minute shower? But what does this mean for the environment? That's what Girl Scouts discovered at the first-ever Eco-Action Day on Saturday, April 5, in Denver.

Approximately 150 Girl Scouts, in 3rd to 6th grade from throughout the Denver metro area, got a jump start on Earth Day activities by participating in this capacity crowd event in collaboration with Waste Management Recycle America at their education facility in Denver. During the three-hour event, Girl Scouts connected with their peers and women industry experts and volunteers as they learned ways to take action for our environment by being leaders in saving electricity and water, recycling and tree planting.

"If we all do this together, we can help the environment," said Sarah Crabb, 12, of Troop 2412 from Highlands Ranch. "There are a lot of things you can recycle."

Girls participated in six different activities during the day's events. Waste Management showed a movie about what happens to trash and recycling when it is picked up from people's houses. Girls also visited their recycling education center and learned all about the items that could be recycled. The brave girls even got the chance to sink their hands into items at various stages of the recycling process. In another station, the City of Aurora presented information on water, including using a diorama to show how different forms of contamination hurt our water supply. Additionally, the City of Denver taught the girls what items are made from trees and the importance of planting trees city-wide to help the environment. The girls also used trash to make art and played a game about how to save electricity.

"If we plant more trees in the city, we can provide shade in parking lots. It also slows down the rain and we can build less sewer pipes," said Alissha Rutherford, 10, of Troop 2397 from Arvada.

At the end of the day, the girls earned the Girl Scout Eco-Action Badge, as well as a special badge from Waste Management. Participants also took home an energy efficient light blub, courtesy of the Denver Parks and Recreation Department, to use as they wish in their homes.

"I learned not to use a lot of energy. I will turn off the lights when I am not using them and turn off the water when I am brushing my teeth," said Amanda Nguyen, 11, of Troop 1464 from Littleton.

For Amanda's troop, this wasn't the first time they had done a project around the environment. Troop 1464 from Mark Twain Elementary School in the Centennial/Littleton area has organized a school recycling drive for their Bronze Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn at this age. The girls in this troop have put collection boxes in each of the rooms in the school, and each Monday they collect the recyclable items. Before they move up to the next level of Girl Scouting at the end of the year, Troop 1464 plans to teach a 4th grade Girl Scout troop at their school to take over the project in hopes that it will continue for years to come.

Through Girl Scouting, girls see the Earth as their home. Whether they're learning about endangered wildlife, developing creative recycling projects or working toward age-level awards, such as the Environmental Health Badge or the Eco-Action Interest Project Award, girls focus on care, conservation and responsibility to help secure the safety of our planet for future generations. For more information on Girl Scouting in Colorado, visit www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org or call 303-778-8774.