Sample Problems and Solutions
Reducing Runoff in the Environment – Rural Challenge Project
Reducing Mercury – Urban
Take a Hike! – Suburban
Reducing Runoff in the Environment
Rural Challenge Project
Choose it!
For our project, we have chosen to focus on reducing the amount of fertilizer runoff and animal waste from the farms in our community. Our streams empty into the local bay. The organisms in the bay, especially crabs, are endangered. The state environmental agency believes this is in part due to fertilizer and animal waste runoff from local farms.
Research It!
Animal waste is a natural part of farm production. Fertilizers are needed to make crops grow well and produce a lot of food per acre. But animal waste has to go somewhere, and not all fertilizer is taken in by the plants. In many cases, extra wastes are “washed away” by rain or by hosing it down. All that water and waste often ends up in a stream, river or underground water system as runoff. According to several sources, including a recent Scientific American article, “Fertilizer Runoff Overwhelms Streams and Rivers—Creating Vast ‘Dead Zones’” (April 2008), fertilizer runoff is a major source of pollution in the United States. (http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=fertilizer-runoff-overwhelms-streams) Animal waste contains polluting nutrients such as nitrates as well as harmful microorganisms that are pathogens (harmful to humans) such as giardia and cryptosporidium and even heavy metals. No one wants those in their drinking water! Fish wouldn’t want to live in them, either.
In addition to being a local problem, the nutrients in animal waste and fertilizers wash down the stream and end up in the bay and as far away as the ocean. Some nutrients are needed by the plants that grow in the waters of the streams and rivers. But too much nutrient and waste causes algae and bacteria to grow out of control. When algae die, they decompose. Decomposition uses up huge amounts of oxygen and produces a lot of carbon dioxide. Not only does this make it hard for the fish to breathe, the carbon dioxide has to go somewhere. It goes into the atmosphere and increases the green house gases that cause global warming.
We know that one way to stop the pollution from happening is to separate animal waste from the waterways. We learned that it is possible to slow down the runoff of fertilizer and animal waste by planting a “riparian” buffer (trees, shrubs and grasses) between the source of the waste and the stream. Several studies show that most of the nitrates that run off of land can be absorbed by riparian buffers between the farm area and the water.
Iowa: http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/1999/6-14-1999/riparian.html
Maryland: http://dnrweb.dnr.state.md.us/download/forests/rfb_survival.pdf)
Many farmers in our area have planted riparian buffers near streams. But we noticed that some runoff goes into ditches alongside of roads and between fields. We wondered if the water in those ditches could be carrying nitrates into the local river. During a rainstorm in September, we captured some of the runoff water in two of the ditches. The nitrate levels were very high, above 6mg per liter in one and nearly 7mg per liter in the second. We used three separate locations in each ditch and took the average reading, although most of the readings in each ditch were nearly the same. We tested each sample three times to be sure of our results.
Plan It!
We decided that planting trees and shrubs along the ditches, especially where the field runoff was channeled in, would probably reduce the nitrate level in the runoff water in that immediate area.
Materials used:
- Nitrate test kits
- Water sampling cups
- Shovels
- Mulch
- Peat moss
- Trees
- Shrubs or long grasses
- Work gloves
Time Frame: two months
Procedure:
- Identify two ditches where the nitrate runoff is high.
- Choose one ditch to be the test and one to be the control.
- Identify the location where the most runoff is coming into each ditch from a nearby field.
- Measure the nitrate level of the water at the end of a rainstorm when the water is flowing freely into the ditch.
- Check three locations at each site and run the test three times.
- Plant trees and shrubs at a point where the runoff from the field is going into the ditch.
- Come back during the next two months each time there is enough rain to cause water to flow freely into the ditches.
- Measure the nitrate levels again using the same method.
- Record the results of each test and trial.
Do It!
We got permission from a local farmer to plant at the edge of one of his fields where the water drains into a ditch. We consulted the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (http://ohiodnr.com/) and learned that they recommend several species of trees and shrubs to plant along ditches. These plants can live when a lot of water is at their base and when there is not as much. We then visited several local nurseries and one of them was willing to donate five sycamores, five box elders and some long decorative grasses. They also provided some of the planting supplies.
We then had a planting day, during which we got parents and friends to help us plant those trees in a pattern along the side of the test ditch. We realize that the tree root systems will not grow quickly enough for us to get good results. However, we placed the grasses strategically in order to catch the direct runoff from the farm. We decided to take measurements again on the next rainy day to determine if there was a change.
For the next two months, we took readings from the test ditch and the control ditch each time there was a rainstorm that provided enough rain for a runoff. There were three times that this happened. Each time, we measured the nitrate levels in the ditch water.
| Test Ditch average measure: | 6.2mg N/L |
| Control Ditch average measure: | 6.8mg N/L |
| Week | Ditch 1 |
Control Ditch |
| 3 | 5.8mg N/L | 7.3 N/L |
| 5 | 5.6mg N/L | 6.5 N/L |
| 8 | 5.7mg N/L | 6.8 N/L |
Analyze It!
We were happy to find that the nitrate level in the test ditch dropped significantly. The level in the control ditch did not drop. In fact it became higher in two measures. Our conclusion is that the riparian buffer had a positive effect on reducing the nitrate runoff.
There are many factors that could have caused the difference in the nitrate levels. Rain amounts could have been significantly different each time. The amount of fertilizer or animal waste in the field could have changed. However, we believe that we are seeing an improvement in the water quality of the ditches because of the planting. We know that riparian buffers help more when the root systems take hold. We are hopeful that a test in one year will show us even more improvement in the nitrate levels.
Share it!
Check around your local area. Your farms may be producing runoff that is affecting streams, the ocean and the planet. See if there are ditches and streams that are receiving water from fields that have fertilizer or animal waste. If you want to try this kind of project, we would recommend that you check with your local Department of Natural Resources to see what kind of planting they recommend. It is also important to get the permission of the person who owns the land and to be sure they agree with how you are planting the trees and shrubs. Be sure to get lots of friends together because planting is lots of work! Also, don’t forget gloves. We learned that the hard way.
If we were to do this again, we would have used more than two ditches so we could be sure that the results were accurate. We also would try this at different times of the year because that could be a factor in how the nitrate readings came out.
We have now begun to get other students at school to locate ditch areas where plantings could be made. We have several other locations where we know that plants can reduce the runoff of animal waste and fertilizer. Some of the parents have pledged to help with the plantings and to get the trees, shrubs and grasses that we will use.
Reducing Mercury Poisoning
Urban
Choose it!
For our project, we have chosen to focus on reducing the amount of mercury in our community. Mercury poisoning is a serious health issue in our community. According to a recent newspaper report, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that many of the homes and businesses in communities like ours have old thermostats, old thermometers and light switches that contain mercury. They have a complete list of mercury containing devices. The danger to our community is very real. http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/recycle/electron/econ-hg.pdf.
Research It!
Mercury has been found to cause severe damage to the brain and nervous system in both humans and animals. At one time, mercury poisoning was called “Mad Hatters Disease” because of personality changes that happened to people who had it. Mercury can be absorbed through the skin, by inhaling it or by ingesting it.
Many years ago, people didn’t know about the hazards of mercury. It was used in thermometers, light switches, thermostats and, many years ago, even rubbed into cloth to preserve clothing. Today, it is used much more rarely. However, even as recently as 1997, 190 tons of products containing mercury were produced and used in industries in the United States (Environmental Protection Agency, April 2008: http://www.epa.gov/mercury/).
Today, many states require industries that use mercury in products to register those products (IMERC Mercury-Added Database http://www.newmoa.org/prevention/mercury/imerc/notification/). Many states such as Connecticut have sites that tell which household products likely contain mercury (http://www.ct.gov/dep/lib/dep/mercury/gen_info/merceng.pdf).
Reducing mercury in homes and businesses can reduce the possibility of someone accidentally swallowing or breathing in mercury.
Plan It!
Procedure:
We want to make people aware of the dangers of mercury by creating and distributing brochures to the community as part of an awareness campaign. Brochures will specify items that should be checked and removed from the home. These will be delivered through regular school distribution and the local home supply store’s advertisement in the local newspapers. We found that our state’s Environmental Protection Agency will schedule a mercury products pickup for our community. A process for dropping off the mercury-containing switches, thermometers and thermostats to the store will be on the brochures. A safe storage container for the products will be set up in the back of the store using EPA guidelines. These include sealing the items in secure, thick plastic bags and wrapping them in bubble wrap. We will follow our awareness campaign with a collection drive to help people safely discard materials that contain mercury.
The drive and collection will result in a measureable number of items removed from homes and will reduce the amount of mercury in the community. Our goal will be to collect at least 500 items that contain mercury. We estimate that this would be a reduction of 20% of the total amount found in local homes and businesses.
Materials
- Paper and printing supplies for 500 brochures
- “Safe” containers for collecting mercury products
- Plastic 2 or 5 gallon buckets with sealed lids
- “Bubble wrap” packing to wrap switches and thermometers
- Plastic bags with seals in which to place the switches and thermometers
Do It!
Our state Environmental Protection Agency scheduled a mercury products pickup for our community for January 18. We made flyers with the help of our mentor and the local home supply business. We distributed the flyers through students in the school and through local businesses. The local home supply business also helped us to spread the word through an advertisement and kept the products safely until the pickup day. We kept a record of how many mercury containing items were turned in: 253 over three weeks.
We had not planned for it, but we found out that we needed to have some way for people to get credit for turning in the switches. The local hardware store printed up certificates that could be then used at the store to buy replacement thermostats or thermometers at a discount. People liked the idea of being safe and saving money.
Analyze It!
The count was not what we had expected. We were pleased, but a little disappointed that only a little over half of the number of mercury containing items we wanted were picked up. Even so, this represents what we estimate is a 10% reduction in the amount of mercury in homes and businesses in our community. It is possible that the estimate of the number of mercury-containing objects in our community is wrong. We are hopeful that this is the case. We have successfully reduced the amount of mercury in our community.
Share It!
As we went through the process, we discovered a number of things you should know if you try this type of mercury collection. First, we found that our local home supply businesses liked the idea and were big supporters of the change. They offered to help advertise and paid some of the costs toward printing a brochure. They also offered a discount on new thermostats and thermometers to replace those that were turned in. In order to keep track, we had to be sure we provided a signed card that could be taken to the supply store so that people who turned in the switches and thermostats and thermometers could get the discount.
We also found out that people don’t want to just have one day when they turn in their mercury. It helps to have some place where it can be safely stored until the day of the EPA pickup.
Take a Hike!
Suburban
Choose It!
We are very concerned about global warming and how much CO2 is put into the atmosphere. We talked about the driving that our families do. We discovered that at our school, parents are driving many students to and from school each day. We also found out that many of the students live close enough that they could walk to school. We know that the driving and waiting in line at the school uses up gasoline and adds to carbon emissions. We want to reduce the amount of driving to school. Also, walking is good for you.
Research It!
We conducted a survey to find out which students were driven to school each day for three weeks in September. During this time period, there were three days with precipitation and the rest were clear. More people drive students to school when it rains. We then found out how far away each person lived from our school. We found that 65% of students (326) are driven to school by parents, even though 50% (253) of those students live less than a mile away from the school. We found that the average number of students in each car was 2.1. This agreed with our count of an average of 132 cars per day dropping off students. We estimated that the average travel per car would be about 1.8 miles. We also noted that the average waiting time with the engine running was about one minute. With an average mileage of 20 miles per gallon, including the waiting time, the amount of gasoline used for 132 cars would be around 12 gallons per day. We used EPA calculations (http://www.epa.gov/oms/climate/420f05001.htm) of 8.8 kilograms of carbon output per gallon of gas to calculate the amount of CO2 emitted. We estimate that the additional gasoline used each week is around 60 gallons and the CO2 emissions are around 528 kilograms of carbon output per week or 21 metric tons per school year.
According to our interviews, the main reason that students are driven to school instead of walking are that it takes less time, as there are no sidewalks or paths that go from the nearby housing development directly to school. Also, parents are concerned for student safety when they walk.
Plan It!
We met with the principal and the head of the PTA and they have determined that there is a location for a pathway or sidewalk that will save time. We have spoken to parents who are willing to take turns as monitors along the pathway to keep kids safe. We will meet with the town council to help get a pathway built.
We will also begin a walking challenge with rewards from local businesses for the number of days that students walk to school instead of ride. The walking challenge will include prizes from our local businesses such as a discount on pizza and movie tickets. We will make sure that students and parents at our school know about this challenge by making flyers and distributing them with students when they go home. We will also speak at a PTA meeting.
We will collect data on how many students walk to school each day and how many cars come to bring students to school. We believe that adding a pathway and the walking challenge will make more students want to walk to school.
If we can get every student who lives within a mile of the school to walk to it, we estimate it could reduce the amount of carbon emissions by 20 metric tons a year!
Do It!
We got the PTA to help us explain to parents why we were concerned. We proposed the pathway solution to the town council. They agreed to fund a mulched pathway to make it easier for students to get to school. We asked for a sidewalk, but the council said it would cost too much this year. They might be able to do it in the future. Once the pathway was done, parents agreed to take turns waiting at one point on it during the walk to school and on the walk home. The PTA helped us make up a schedule.
The walking challenge was the hardest part. The owner of one of the local pizza stores agreed to offer a two for one deal on a large pizza with soda if we put the name of the pizza store on the flyer. The local movie theater also offered to take $1.00 off the price of a movie ticket for students who met the challenge. They also wanted their name on the flyer. We designed a flyer on the computer and asked students to walk to school if they live closer than a mile away. We decided that to win a prize, students who lived closer than a mile away would have to walk to school at least 20 days during the walking challenge month. This turned out to be hard to monitor. First we had to get tickets to give the walkers. We were afraid someone would cheat. We had to be there to check every day to find out who walked and give them a ticket. At the same time, we had to count the cars to get more data on how many cars brought students to school and picked them up each day.
We ran the walking challenge for one month. There were 21 days that students could either walk or ride. Only two of those days had rain. We found that the number of students being driven to school had dropped to an average of 252 per day. The number of cars dropped to an average of 96.
Analyze It!
We were disappointed that we did not get all of the students who lived within one mile of the school to walk to school instead of drive. Even so, our data show that the average number of students being driven dropped from 326 to 252 per day. The average number of cars dropped from 132 to 96. If this continues all year, it means that 6 metric tons of carbon emissions will not be produced each year because of students being driven to school.
Share It!
This is a worthwhile project, even if ours didn’t turn out as well as we wanted it to. You might not want to run a walking challenge. It was really hard. But it got kids thinking about walking.
One thing we learned from this project is that many students do not want to walk a mile to school even if you give them a prize. We thought that we would reduce the carbon emissions by at least twenty metric tons per year. This is because we thought that everyone living within a mile of the school would choose to walk. That was not so. We would recommend that others try this project, but you should know that some people just do not want to walk!
We would plan to continue to count the cars to see if there will still be a lower number dropping kids off to school after the walking challenge is over. There are probably other things we can do to encourage students to walk instead of ride.
