Healthy Lawns RPI

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Healthy Lawns RPI An Initiative By EJ McGlynn Qiao Yu Thomas McGann Samantha Bliss

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Healthy Lawns RPI. An Initiative By EJ McGlynn Qiao Yu Thomas McGann Samantha Bliss. Running , Running. Environmental Problems are evident in our everyday lives. We MUST take steps to preserve the e nvironmental aspects of our c ampus home !. The Problem. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of Healthy Lawns RPI

Page 1: Healthy Lawns RPI

Healthy Lawns RPI

An Initiative ByEJ McGlynnQiao YuThomas McGannSamantha Bliss

Page 2: Healthy Lawns RPI

- Environmental Problems are evident in our everyday lives.

- We MUST take steps to preserve the environmental aspects of our campus home!

Running, Running

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- Extensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticide

- a threat to the welfare of all aspects of campus environment

The Problem

Background/History- Campus covers 275 acres

- Current lawn care team consists of 16 individuals

- Alumni fund many landscaping features

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- Create a program entitled “Healthy Lawns-RPI”

To:- Educate the campus and community public - transition to the use of organic fertilizers and

pesticides

- Extend this program to facilitate greater change

Our Solution

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- The EPA’s “Healthy Yards, Healthy Lawns, Healthy Environment”

http://www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/pesticideslawn.htm

- “Safer Pest Control Project”http://www.spcpweb.org/yards/?gclid=CP35mdGmxLoCFdGe4AodKzQAzQ

- Pest Control Blog Posthttp://blog.pested.psu.edu/2012/03/19/organic-pesticides-what-works-and-what-doesnt-2/

Related Projects

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“To promote environmentally sound garden and lawn options here at RPI to reduce environmental impact in the form of toxic runoff, thereby resulting in cleaner air, water, and soil benefiting wildlife and

the community as a whole.”  

Mission Statement

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Three main goals:

- Education and involvement , 25 people

- Reduction of non-organics, <10%

- Expanding our project, 5 other institutions

 

Goals/Aims of Project

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Stakeholders

Students

Professors At RPI

RPI Administration(Finance/Budget)

- Fertilizers treat the grounds they walk, lay, play, and compete on

- Makes grounds safer and healthier to be on

- Student leadership- Support helpful for research

- Healthier work environment

- Approval to shift funding- Approval to use new

products

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StakeholdersRPI Lawn Care Team

Fertilizer Company

Environmental Clubs(At RPI)

- Have experience in this area - Will be implementing change - advice, ideas and concerns

- current company consultation

- change provider companies- provide manpower- Possibly provide funding- publicity

Environmental Organizations (Outside of RPI)

- provide additional support/funding

- quantitative data- scale up and out

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- Educate public about little known issue

- RPI continuing to be a more sustainable institution

- improve the quality of life for students, faculty, plants and animals

- provide students and faculty with the tools to facilitate the switch

- Implement greater change

Why is it important?

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The Plan

1. Contact those responsible for lawn care on the RPI campus

2. Attend meetings of

both the EcoLogic and SSTF clubs

3. Meet with higher RPI

authority to determine

budget shifts

4. Implement usage of organic

products

5. Record any changes, etc.

that result from this shift

6. Propose the idea to the Troy community, and further the NY

state

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Propose first on the RPI campus:

- Sufficient amount of lawn/garden features for research

- Manageable project area

- Strong environmental science/sustainability studies programs

- All of the group members live on campus

Can expand into the Troy community and NY state

Location/Justification

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Scaling Up And Out

implement at other college campuses

extend to the Troy community

propose project to the state of New York

State funded program

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Barriers and Challenges- Significant cost difference between organics and

non-organics

- Convincing public to make behavioral changes

- Convincing school administration of the value of shift

- Securing funding necessary for research

- Breaks and holidays delaying approvals

- Government shut downs, etc.

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Social and Political Aspects

- Project asks public to change behavior

- New project changes campus culture

- Extending to community and state requires policy change

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 - RPI would lead the community and state in this green initiative - provide a blueprint for future success -reputable, economic, and cleaner alternative to conventional chemical fertilizers

ConclusionRensselear

Why not change the world?

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Questions?

Thanks for watching!