View Some Photos of the Project...
White House, Washington DC, April 2008
Browne received the President's Environmental Youth Award in a Rose Garden ceremony attended by First Lady Laura Bush and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Director Steve Johnson. President Bush cited Browne's project during his keynote address.
EPA Green Expo, Boston, May 2008
Browne was one of the invited exhibitors at the annual Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Green Expo. The Expo highlighted green alternatives for everyday living and was attended by hundreds of people. Browne collected lead fishing weights and handed out educational materials. Most attendees were shocked to learn that their favorite sport could be harming waterfowl and raptors.
EPA Environmental Certificate of Merit
Earth Day, April 2008, Boston, MA
Browne at Faneuil Hall, Boston, on Earth Day, April 22, 2008. The Environmental Merit Awards highlighted the projects and lifetime achievements of people working to make a difference for the environment.
The project was cited by Steve Johnson, Director of the EPA in his keynote address. Get the Lead Out of Fishing was the only teen-led project that was honored with an award.
Field & Stream Magazine, New York City, September 2007
Browne's project was honored in New York City in September, 2007 at Field & Stream magazine's "Heroes of Conservation" award ceremony. His project was selected as the first-ever Boy Scout recipient of the award. His project was cited by keynote speaker, United States Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne and Director of US Fish and Wildlife H. Dale Hall who presented the award to Browne.
Photos from Fishing Derbies, May - June 2007
Browne and members of St. Agathas Troop 5, Milton, Massachusetts attended fishing derbies throughout the Boston area. They handed out nearly 700 packages of sample lead-free fishing weights and collected nearly 50 pounds of lead. This means that approximately 8,000-10,000 lead fishing weights have been removed from our lakes and ponds.
More importantly, while at the derbies, they talked with nearly 1000 anglers and had the opportunity to educate anglers about the dangers of lead. Local and regional newspapers, national magazines and video and television interviews also helped spread the "Get the Lead Out of Fishing" message to tens of thousands of anglers.
These swans and their baby cignets came by as we were setting up at Whitman's Pond Fishing Derby. Because of the lead collected at this derby, thousands of fewer lead sinkers could end up in this pond which is home to many swans, ducks and other waterfowl.
State House, Boston, Massachusetts, June 2007
Browne had the opportunity to present his project at the Massachusetts State House in June 2007. He set up a table display with sample packages of non-lead weights and educational materials to get state legislators to support removing lead from recreational fishing.
During this event, Browne received citations from both the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Massachusetts Senate. Browne and Representative Walter Timilty are here at Browne's table display set up to educate legislators and environmental activists about the dangers of lead in the environment and the readily available alternatives.
United Nations Environmental Program
Volvo Adventure,
Sweden, May 2008
Mike Browne and four members of Troop 5 Milton (from left, Graham Strang, Robert Hudson, Mike Browne, Alex Jamal, and Matt Morris) were selected to represent the United States at this United Nations event. The team travelled to Gothenburg, Sweden, where they met with 15 teams of teens from around the world. Projects included water drainage cleanup to prevent malaria in India, saving 
endangered sea turtles in Cameroos and reviving and breeding endangered water buffalo in Macedonia. While there, the teams prepared a white paper for the United Nations on water issues. The teens participated in team-building exercises and spent a lot of time strategizing about how to further their projects. 
The highlight of the event was a presenation before an international panel of judges including representatives from the United Nations, World Scouts, and the World Wildlife Fund. Siv Persson from the World Wildlife Fund highlighted the accomplishments of "Get the Lead Out of Fishing" and talked about the attention that the project brought to a little-known threat to our waterfowl, raptors and environment. After spending 5 days in Gothenburg, the team traveled by train to Stockholm where we had 2 full days of sightseeing including touring the Royal Palace in Stockholm, watching the changing of the guard, and enjoying the warmth and hospitality of Sweden.
St. Agathas Troop 5, Milton Massachusetts
Gets the Lead Out of Fishing
Team member Alex Jamal wears protective gloves to handle the lead brought in by anglers. On the table in front of him are the sample packages and a couple of the educational brochures made to educate anglers about the dangers of lead.
Behind Alex is the banner which was displayed at all fishing derbies and educational events. It provides a way to bring people over to the display and a chance to teach them about the dangers of lead.
Members of Troop 5 and the Get the Lead Out of Fishing Team set up the display at the Massasoit Fishing Derby in Plymouth, Massachusetts. This derby was for Cub Scouts and was a great opportunity to reach the youngest anglers - and their families - and teach them about how lead kills waterfowl.
Members of St Agathas Troop 5 Milton, Massachusetts packaged up nearly 800 sample packages of weights to hand out to anglers at fishing derbies and educational events. Browne received donations and discounts which allowed him to reach an even greater number of anglers. Because the team assembled the packages, Browne could really make his small grants and donations go pretty far.
Telling the Story of Get the Lead Out
Lead fishing weights cause thousands - or tens or thousands - of bird deaths every year. When the Get the Lead Out of Fishing story is told, Browne found that fishermen were shocked that a simple buying decision could be causing death to our beloved waterfowl. Talking to anglers was usually enough to get them to commit to buying non-lead weights. But we cannot be at every fishing derby, nor can we stand at every store display. Education is the key part of getting EVERYONE to make informed, environmentally smart choices. Recognizing this, Get the Lead Out of Fishing has made it their mission to talk to the media to tell the story. Get the Lead Out of Fishing story has been told in dozens of regional and national publications aimed at a variety of audiences. We talked to sportsmen/women in two articles in Field & Stream magazine . We talked to kids in Boys' Life and Science World. Get the Lead Out of Fishing was featured in The Boston Globe and the Patriot Ledger. Browne has been featured in television and webcasts including WCVB-TV NBC Boston and WBZ-TV CBS Boston in environmental segments that aired several times. Every appearance and article increases the outreach and gets the story of Get the Lead Out of Fishing to new and expanding audiences. 
Browne is interviewed by Mish Michaels, WBZ-TV4, Boston about his project. The project was highlighted as part of an Earth Day report. Browne used the opportunity to educate more anglers about the dangers of lead and the readily available alternatives.
David Brown, WCVB-TV5 Boston featured Get the Lead Out in May 2008. Browne was interviewed as part of WCVB-TV's "Going Green" environmental segments and aired several times during May 2008. Browne was interviewed with Dr. Mark Pokras, a leading researcher and environmental advocate and professor at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.
