Rainwater CollectionBy Gib Corcoran

Action Plan

In order to reduce Blue Valley West’s negative impact on the environment, rainwater will be collected. The rainwater will be collected using a 55-gallon barrel and a 48” RainSaucer. The collected rainwater will then be used for a gardening program at the school.

Materials

● EarthMinded 55 Gal. Plastic Drum:o $90 at Home Depoto Used to store rainwatero Comes with drain kit

● 48” RainSaucero $64 from official websiteo Used to catch rainwater and deposit directly into

barrel● Total Cost= Approx. $154

Fundraising

This plan will be funded through a school bake sale. Students can bring in baked goods and receive community service hours. It would take place after school in the cafeteria and would be run by the National Honor Society.

Extra Funds

Since only $154 is needed, it is likely that there will be extra funds. If there is at least $154 extra, it will be used to buy another barrel and RainSaucer. Otherwise, the extra money will go towards buying flowers and other plants.

Environmental Impact

The use of rainwater for plant watering increases the quality of soil. It helps improve soil water and temperature. It also causes the soil to promote plant growth.

Long-Term Benefits

If there was ever to be a shortage of water or a drought, such as the one in California happening at the moment, this would be a cost-friendly way to collect water. It is currently predicted that almost half of the world population will be in high water stress by the year 2030.

Maintenance

At the beginning of each quarter, the barrel and RainSaucer will be emptied and cleaned to prevent the growth of bacteria inside the barrel. This will be done by the National Honor Society and/or other volunteers.

Maintenance Continued

Every Saturday, volunteers will use the water from the barrel for gardening at the school. Since the program helps the environment, volunteers can gain community service hours for their participation.

Han, Q., Hou, X., Jia, Z., Li, R., & Yang, B. (2012). Effects of rainfall harvesting and mulching technologies on soil water, temperature, and maize yield in Loess Plateau region of China. Soil Research, 50(2), 105+. Retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/scic/AcademicJournalsDetailsPage/AcademicJournalsDetailsWindow?failOverType=&query=&prodId=SCIC&windowstate=normal&contentModules=&display-query=&mode=view&displayGroupName=Journals&limiter=&currPage=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&search_within_results=&p=SCIC&action=e&catId=&activityType=&scanId=&documentId=GALE%7CA288627297&source=Bookmark&u=stil34938&jsid=50862a8ef0f669d44d714699be8e23ae Rain Barrels | Mid-Atlantic Region Green Landscaping. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2015, from http://www.epa.gov/reg3esd1/garden/rainbarrel.html

EarthMinded 55 Gal. Blue Plastic Drum DIY Rain Barrel Bundle with Diverter System-PTH0935 - The Home Depot. (n.d.). Retrieved April 24, 2015, from

http://www.homedepot.com/p/EarthMinded-55-Gal-Blue-Plastic-Drum-DIY-Rain-Barrel-Bundle-with-Diverter-System-PTH0935/205845770?N=5yc1vZc7pb NIST Handbook 44 - 2012 Edition. (2012, October 26). Retrieved April 29, 2015, from http://www.nist.gov/pml/wmd/h44-12.cfm 48" RainSaucer. (n.d.). Retrieved April 29, 2015, from http://www.rainsaucers.com/buy.htm#!/48-RainSaucer™/p/25100595/category=0 Water Scarcity. (n.d.). Retrieved May 4, 2015, from http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml Garden. (n.d.). Retrieved May 4, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden Amos, E. (2011, April 8). A Pepperidge Farm "Nantucket" cookie. Retrieved May 4, 2015, from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pepperidge-Farm-Nantucket-Cookie.jpg

Sources