Tree Planting to Reduce Runoff
On the Poly campus, students have been active over the past two years with planting trees to reforest the barren fields of turf and lawn. Although an earlier planting had been performed to shade the building (see 2.2), a specific planting was performed in fall 2015 to reduce runoff from the surrounding area, preventing water buildup in the local Jones Falls watershed.
Participants: approximately 50 students total, with 30 seniors from AP Environmental Science and 18 Environment Club members from all grades, as well as four members of a freshman Honors Biology course
Participants: approximately 50 students total, with 30 seniors from AP Environmental Science and 18 Environment Club members from all grades, as well as four members of a freshman Honors Biology course
Above: 32 Trees successfully planted at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute on December 11, 2015. This was Blue Water Baltimore's last tree planting of the year!
Campus Cleanup
Poly students have also been involved in multiple campus cleanups in an effort to reduce pollution in the local Jones Falls watershed.
Above: Approximately 20 students from the Environment Club remove trash in October 2015.
Below: Approximately ten students from the Environment Club remove trash in spring 2015.
Above: Approximately 20 students from the Environment Club remove trash in October 2015.
Below: Approximately ten students from the Environment Club remove trash in spring 2015.
Aquaponics at Poly
The new aquaponics lab at Poly, unveiled on fall 2015, is one of Poly students' proudest accomplishments. The aquaponics lab features an entirely sustainable model of using fish and plants to recycle fish waste for fertilization of plants. Four tanks of tilapia feed large raised beds of a variety of plants, including cabbage and lettuce. The tanks and aquaponics system were designed completely by students at Poly. The aquaponics lab was even featured on WYPR!
As detailed in section 1.3, Poly was awarded a grant in partnership with BGE to install solar panels in the side parking lot, which will fuel the aquaponics lab. High-tech computers and sensors are used to monitor the conditions of the tanks digitally. Poly's aquaponics facility is considered to be one of the most advanced aquaponics facilities in a school in the nation and even the world.
As detailed in section 1.3, Poly was awarded a grant in partnership with BGE to install solar panels in the side parking lot, which will fuel the aquaponics lab. High-tech computers and sensors are used to monitor the conditions of the tanks digitally. Poly's aquaponics facility is considered to be one of the most advanced aquaponics facilities in a school in the nation and even the world.
Water Conservation Signs
Poly students placed water conservation signs next to water coolers and in front of bathroom doors to remind the Poly community to conserve water at these stations.