The easiest Eagle-required merit badge will likely be Firstaid or Swimming, if you'll be able to complete it as part of a class. Citizenship in the World can be completed quite easily alone.
I've ranked the difficulty of each Eagle-required merit badge in a recent article. You can check it out by googling "Scoutsmarts Eagle Merit Badge Difficulty Rankings" :)
No, you do not. However, you DO swim during the Lifesaving merit badge, which is interchangeable with Emergency Preparedness as far as Eagle required badges go.
There are no merit badge requirements for First Class. However, there are various individual first aid skills among the Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class requirements. First aid is an Eagle-required merit badge, though. See link for more info.
1972 Environmental Science merit badge; replacing1970 Conservation of Natural Resources; replacing1965 Soil and Water Conservation; replacing1958 Forestry or Soil and Water Conservation or Wildlife Management
I'm not sure what you mean by "open". You should have your Scoutmaster's permission to start on a merit badge. Usually he signs a "blue card" which is the record of your merit badge progress. This is to ensure that you have any prerequisites that are required and that you are going to a registered merit badge counselor. You should make contact with your merit badge counselor prior to starting the merit badge to ensure you are credited for your work.
Category:Boy Scouts of America Elective merit badges use a green circle and Eagle Scout required merit badges use a silver circle. The four historic merit badges issued only for 2010 have a gold circle.
I am working on it! I will make it happen! Troy Kirschner EAGLE '77
They should wear their merit badge sashes. OA sashes are generally not worn.
No, but there is a sports merit badge
As a Boy Scout myself, I would have to say that woodcarving merit badge is the easiest. It has 7 requirements. and is going to be easier if you know how to properly handle a knife, file, chisel, and other wood working tools. Tommy Landers Troop 300
well to answer 21 merit badges are required
As an eagle scout I'm simply going to tell you that it needs to be done by yourself with or without the help of you counselor.
The Marksmanship merit badge was one of the original 57 merit badges created in 1911. It was replaced by the Rifle and Shotgun Shooting merit badge in 1966 which was in turn replaced by the Rifle Shooting merit badge and the Shotgun Shooting merit badge in 1987. The Archery merit badge was created in 1911.