Let’s Catch the Rain

2021, Cincinnati, OH, USA

Morgan and Allison worked to reduce non-point source pollution and combined sewer overflow while promoting water conservation by adding rain barrels to a local elementary school and their community garden. At Vermont Elementary School they added two fifty-gallon rain barrels, and the elementary school kids are able to use the recycled water to water their school garden. In addition, Morgan and Allison taught a lesson to the students about the importance of saving water and the effects of runoff. The rain barrels they installed are painted with designs picked out by the fourth graders themselves to add a fun touch (they chose fish and raindrops with the Wyoming School District logo!). They got a group of volunteers to come and help them paint the rain barrels, and using the new research and innovation center at their high school, they made templates of the fish and Wyoming logos to assist them in painting.

At the community garden Morgan and Allison first added a gutter system to the pre-existing shed to collect water. Then they connected to two fifty-gallon rain barrels to the downspout to divert the rainwater. Gardeners are able to help conserve water and reduce runoff by using the recycled water when watering their plants.

To better spread the word about their project, water conservation, and the impacts of surface runoff, they created posts on the school Instagram page and a community Facebook group. Additionally, they created a sign placed next to the rain barrels at the elementary school so curious students and parents can learn more. Lastly, they created a website that can be reached through the QR code on the sign and through links on the social media posts. The website includes information on the Mill Creek Watershed, information about water conservation, tutorials on how to install rain barrels with links to the products, and a description about their projects.

Informative Watershed Video Game

2021, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Chinemerem, a student at Miles Macdonell Collegiate in Winnipeg, Manitoba, wanted to create a fun and interactive way to learn about his watershed. He decided to create a video game to help educate students about the Lake Winnipeg Watershed.

“Throughout this journey, I have learned a lot about watersheds, done plenty of research as to what makes a great game, and have remolded my original idea into what it is today.”

Unmasking the Truth

2021, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Victoria from West Kildonan Collegiate in Winnipeg, MB noticed the increased amount of personal protective equipment (PPE) waste that was popping up in her community, particularly at her school where masks had become mandatory during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Single-use plastics are used so often, but not much thought goes into what happens to that plastic once it has served its purpose.”

She noted that the City of Winnipeg had encouraged people to throw disposable masks in the garbage instead of the recycling so that they would not get caught in machinery or pose health risks to recycling employees.

“My proposal works to address this situation and offer a solution that is both sustainable and safe!”

Victoria ordered TerraCycle PPE recycling boxes to have around her school to help safely dispose of used PPE during the pandemic. Even after the pandemic, these boxes will be helpful in science labs around the school. TerraCycle also offers other recycling boxes for items such as art supplies, coffee capsules, and markers which could be utilized by the school, as well.

A Day in the Life of Netly-Libau Marsh – A Documentary

2021, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Xavier, a student at Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School, wanted to create an educational resource to teach Manitoba students about the importance of the Netley-Libau marsh that borders Lake Winnipeg. He decided to create a documentary to not only educate people, but to take them there on a virtual “visit”, as well. This resource can be used by students, teachers, and anyone who wishes to learn more about the importance that this vast wetland holds for the Lake Winnipeg watershed.

“Located at the mouth of the Red River and the south end of Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada, Netly-Libau Marsh is one of the largest and most important coastal wetlands in North America. This is its story.”

Switching to Biodegradable Bags

2021, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

When Katelyn from École Seven Oaks Middle School in Winnipeg, MB interviewed students at her school, she found out that many of them pick up their dog’s waste using regular plastic bags. She thought about all the plastic waste that must be thrown in the trash and thought that she could help reduce it by proposing biodegradable dog bags!

“Dog waste and dog bags have a bigger impact on our watersheds than you think.”

She created a virtual presentation about the way that dog waste and plastic dog bags can impact her watershed that her school mates were able to watch online, and then samples of the biodegradable bags were distributed to students with pets at home. Katelyn hopes that these students and their families will make the permanent switch to these eco-friendly bags and encourage others to do so, as well!

Replacing Sinks Will Preserve Our Watershed

2021, Greely, Colorado, USA

Global Climate Change is increasing the severity of our shortening water supply. Jorge Rubio learned that the Northern Colorado population is expected to grow in the next few decades, causing great concern for meeting future water demands. Jorge wanted to take action, so he looked into his school’s water use. To do this, Jorge collected data at his school to determine how much water was being used in the bathrooms for hand washing purposes. He found that replacing the old faucets at his school could cut water use by 30,429 gallons in one school year! Jorge used Nutrien’s implementation funds to install new and more efficient water faucets on the main floor. He wanted to expand his efforts, so he raised an additional $800. He hopes to install more faucets at his school to continue improving water efficiency in his watershed. He looks forward to continuing with his mission!

Custom Keyboard

2021, Seven Oaks Met School, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

When you think about sustainability do you think about the keyboard you use at your computer? Chasz from Seven Oaks Met School in Winnipeg, MB did! Chasz created custom-built mechanical keyboards that are longer lasting, more eco-friendly, and more sustainable than their cheaper plastic counterparts!
Student holding custom keyboard creation
“With our new world where most of us are at home and may continue to work from home even after the pandemic, a lot of jobs require you to sit at your desk and type for long amounts of time. The keyboard you use can really affect your productivity. Cheaper keyboards do not last long and have a very unenjoyable typing experience. They are also hard to recycle from the consumer standpoint and from the actual recycling of the keyboard (Statista, 2020). Most people who build their keyboards themselves or have them made specifically to their liking have said that they experience better productivity and a better overall mood while typing or working. I think it’s important to keep the mental health of people with desk jobs a very high priority since nearly 40% of the Canadian workforce is working from home and an even bigger number for those working at a desk (Advisors Edge, 2020). This project is greatly affiliated with SDG goal #3 because like I said, I would like to preserve and improve the mental health of those working desk jobs.”

Composting for a Cause

2021, West Kildonan Collegiate, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Woman and man posing in front of door smiling

Have you ever thought about how much food waste is produced by restaurants? Nicholas from West Kildonan Collegiate in Winnipeg, MB came up with an idea to get more restaurants to compost some of their waste to divert it from the landfill and have it turn into something useful! He partnered with a local company called Compost Winnipeg, and they were able to fund restaurants subscriptions with this composting company for a couple of months to get them started in hopes that they would continue recycling afterwards. They also held a successful community recycling event to educate local members of the community on the benefits of compost at home!

“As a community it is our obligation and responsibility to take care of our Watershed so our future descendants, and wildlife alike have a safe, healthy, and nurturing place to enjoy and to depend on for generations. My proposal works to reduce the amount of food waste produced by restaurants in our community, and to divert their food waste away from landfills.”

Man and woman posing in front of composting truck

Roughage Eatery logo
Compost Winnipeg logo
Wall Street Slice logo

Clean Slate Solutions

2021, Virden Collegiate, Virden, MB, Canada
Recycling sign
Jae and Breanna are students from Virden Collegiate in Virden, MB. They saw a need for more garbage and recycling bins at their school, so they had these new ones installed near the student parking lot to give people a place to properly dispose of their waste and keep their community cleaner!

“Picture this, you’re driving through Virden and decide to stop by the high school for a brief visit. You pull into the student parking lot and see a Tim Hortons coffee cup, you look a lile harder and see garbage all throughout, you then look and see the only two garbage cans are located side by side at the entrance of the parking lot. Our proposal is to implement more recycling bins and/or garbage bins within the proximity of the student parking lot to help limit the amount of free lance garbage and start creating a better environment not just for the school, but for the community as well!”

Recycle and garbage bin in field near parking lot

It’s Bloody Brilliant!

2020, Warren, MB, CANADA
brilliant ways to improve watershed
Hannah Friesen from Warren, MB decided to tackle the issue of the impact that disposable menstrual products are having on our environment. How could she get people to change the products they use? It’s difficult to sway people from what they are used to, so she came up with the idea to add environmentally friendly period products into her school’s Health program. Cloth pads, leak-proof underwear, biodegradable tampons, and menstrual cups were added to a kit that teachers can use to educate their students on these eco-friendly options before they get used to the more harmful disposable ones.

“I want people to know that there are other options that would help our environment and keep our watershed and landfills free of the pollution from these products.”