The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

Despite a couple of false starts about where he could build his Eagle Scout project, JJ Colby believes he can have everything done by the end of October. To gain the rank of Eagle Scout all requirements must be completed before the Scout turns 18 years of age. Colby will turn 18 in January, 2018. The Chinook High senior said of the greenhouse made from plastic bottles, "I think it looks great. It was a lot of work but it will be worth it." The greenhouse was erected on the back portion of the Chinook FFA's community garden opened this summer.

Becoming an Eagle Scout

Since the Eagle Scout program's inception in 1912, only about two percent of Scouts complete the rank, though percentages of completion have been increasing since the early 2000's. Over the 100+ years of the Eagle program, 2.25 million boys have achieved Scouting's highest rank. Eagle Scouts have gone on to be U.S. Presidents (Gerald Ford), Supreme Court Justices (Stephen Breyer) and four Nobel Prize laureates achieved the rank.

Once Boy Scouts reach a certain level in Scouting they can begin working on merit badges-learning about and doing activities in particular subject fields. There are 135 merit badges a Scout can chose to earn. To complete the Eagle rank a Boy Scout must earn 21 total merit badges, 13 of which are specifically required in the Eagle program.

Every candidate for Eagle Scout must complete a project. The Eagle project is designed to give a candidate experience in planning and executing a plan that benefits some non-profit sector of his community. He also gains managing skills as he must incorporate at least two other people in the project and direct their efforts as well. For JJ Colby, successfully planning and building the greenhouse will complete the last step to earn Boy Scouting's top rank.

A greenhouse made from plastic bottles

Colby said, "I started the project about a year ago. My first objective was to collect the 1,400+ two liter plastic pop bottles I would need to build the greenhouse." Turns out he collected about 2,000 empty bottles. He added, "I'll be making a trip to the recycling center to get rid of the excess bottles."

During the time he was collecting bottles the location where he would build the greenhouse changed. He explained, "First, the 4-H groups were planning to build a community garden at the fairgrounds and I was to build the greenhouse near that area." Then, the Chinook High Future Farmers organization (FFA) got permission to create a community garden on a vacant lot across Illinois Street to the east of the high school. The FFA asked Colby to build his greenhouse there, and that's what he did. He's curious to see how gardeners will react to using the greenhouse.

I visited with Colby at various stages of gathering the bottles (just about filled up his family's garage) to when he moved all the bottles to the fairgrounds to count, sort and remove the labels. Then the bottoms had to be cut out of all 1,400 so they could be 'strung' onto a rod into stacks that would make the walls and roof. That all took time. Asked how many hours he put in to complete the greenhouse, he could only shrug and say, "Lots." He said he had a lot of help from other Scouts, his family and friends.

Why a 'plastic' greenhouse?

Of course, cost is a consideration. Folks tend to throw away, or, hopefully, recycle empty plastic bottles, so the basic building materials were free. Colby said he hadn't really tallied all his costs, but he figured they would be in the neighborhood of $500. That's not a bad cost for a nice sized greenhouse.

Like any greenhouse, this one's main purpose is to create warmth during the early spring so plants can get a head start inside. People who've studied the plastic greenhouses say the translucent bottles allow enough solar energy to raise the inside temperature about 10 degrees. The greenhouse is not watertight so it is also described as "self-watering" since some rain will leak in on the plants. Because the greenhouse is not watertight, Colby applied a sealant to the floor.

The bottles, once the bottoms are removed, are 'strung' on a rod that is then attached to wooden frames. A series of rods, strung with bottles, are attached to a frame to make up the panels that create the walls and roof. The panels are then attached to each other

to make the structure. Again, people who have researched the greenhouses say they can withstand strong winds. The bottles in Colby's frames are strung on metal 'garden stakes' so the rods will last and are strong as well.

The final touches

Colby has collected a few freestanding plastic shelves to go in the greenhouse. Those will be used to hold plants during the spring season. He said, "I have a few more of the shelves to collect, then the greenhouse is done." To complete the Scout requirements he has some reports and paperwork to complete, then schedule the actual ceremony where he will be awarded the Eagle Scout rank.

Asked how he handled the project during the year, Colby said, "Well, at first I was really gung ho, especially collecting all the bottles." That was progress he could see. "Then," he said, "I kind of hit the 'oh-oh stage' where things weren't going so well-the location changed, I had to move the bottles a couple times, that kind of hassle."

Finally, though, things came together and the greenhouse is completed. I have to agree with Colby, the greenhouse does look great. Hopefully gardeners will appreciate the hard work that went into building the greenhouse and the plants will have a warm place to start growing.