Ballard High School, Seattle
Third Place, Behavioral Challenge
Composting: Saving the Earth One School at a Time
We aim to create composting habits that last for generations to come. To do so, we will begin by formulating a plan to implement composting in local schools. We will create a presentation to motivate junior high students to compost and inform them about the importance of utilizing food waste. We want to put composting bins in schools and encourage students to actively participate. We believe that youth has the power to change our planet for the better. By establishing a program in junior high schools, we will teach students beneficial habits that they can spread to peers and family alike.
Global Impact Award
Green Scraper
Our idea is to build a vertical farming system. Instead of expanding outward to grow crops, we would build up. We’re thinking of making a combination between a skyscraper and a greenhouse. We would call it the “Green Scraper.” One difficulty that we are facing would be lighting within the building and power to heat the upper levels, which may not have as much heat coming in. The designs we’re looking at would include solar panels and wind turbines to power it. The floors and ceilings would have to be made of some material like glass that lets sun come in through the top. We could have multiple rain barrels and other systems to water all of the plants. With this project, we are hoping to save arable land, and produce a more efficient way of growing crops to increase the growing demand.
Hydroelectric Piping System
Our team will utilize running water to produce an alternative energy source. The plan is to insert generator fans in the major piping systems of facilities and households, which will produce energy. Then we will take the energy from our water generators and apply it to our main energy supply. This system will reduce the usage of energy coming from other energy suppliers and consumers will benefit from lower energy bills. This system will preserve excess resources. Consequently, saving the environment because either way, people use water, but with the hydroelectric piping system, they will be turning a common function into an energy creator.
Clean Energy: It's a Breeze!
Our project will illustrate the ways wind power technology could be used in cities. We will do research to see what types of wind turbines are currently being used, what types are being designed, and which would be most useful in an urban environment. Then, we will show how they could be used in transportation such as trains, automobiles, and boats, as well as on buildings and homes. We will present the benefits of wind energy as well as the challenges it presents and how we will overcome them. We will also do research in the fields of affordability and practicality. We will design and build models to show how our ideas can be brought to life!
EEYOR IMAGINE
We propose the establishment of a Real Estate Agency that stresses utilizing green living to create a recycled, fully-sustainable household. Our corporation focuses on maintaining an eco-friendly lifestyle for all of our customers. The materials we use within our projects are organic and environmentally sound. We provide a variety of options, from refurbishing homes to building new, completely furnished buildings. By using economically sound materials, we can save money by lowering the cost of electricity. We will have affiliations with other companies to ensure that our final product is not just to make money but to help the majority of people. Also, people will not lose their jobs because those who contract for non-green homes will be able work for us, just by using different materials. Also, we will have many open jobs for those who are losing theirs in technology due to our current economy.
Grey Water
The focus for our project is grey water. Grey water is the wastewater from things that occur in homes like showering, washing hands, washing dishes, etc. Our group is going to find ways to reuse grey water primarily in kitchens and bathrooms. We will also create a model of our idea. Grey water makes up more than 50% of wastewater in homes and all or most of this water can be filtered for later use. We need to do much more research but we think that we can apply this idea to whole neighborhoods or communities. If you reuse your grey water, this can greatly help the climate crisis and decrease your own carbon footprint. This project falls in the design challenge. Our hopes are that this model will educate and inspire people to make a change and help out in their community.
Eco Home
Our group aims to design and model an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient house for all home buyers, not just those who can afford the up-front costs of such a home. Our Eco Home will be made of environmentally safe materials, including recycled building materials (e.g., concrete drywall, composite timbers, recycled fiberglass insulation) and will use much less energy than standard homes through tighter design and energy-efficient HVAC, lighting, and appliances. Additionally, these homes will draw much of their energy from “green energy” providers who buy renewable-generated kilowatts. We’re hoping that widespread promotion of Eco Home construction will bring down the individual costs and that utilities and city agencies would help offset costs through rebates and policy initiatives.
Hydroponic Supermarkets
We aim to improve the efficiency of food production and its distribution. We plan to design structures that will use hydroponics to grow produce locally and to sustain animals regionally in a humane fashion. We will design these structures to be as self-sustaining and efficient as possible. The local hydroponics structures will have a supermarket on the main floor to sell the produce made on site. The produce will be hydroponically grown on the floors above. This will decrease the cost of shipping food because produce will be grown locally and livestock will be grown regionally instead of internationally. The CO2 emissions will be drastically cut by our agricultural system because massive amounts of fuel will no longer be needed to transport food internationally. Our plan is a legitimate solution to global issues such as greenhouse gases, food production, and inefficiency.
“You are setting the pace — the dynamic — for a better and brighter future.”
—Elson S. Floyd, Ph.D.
President, Washington State University