Take action project
There were several options for this project: an innovation direction where you design a product and make sketches of how it will work, an artist response where you express a response using a form of art somewhere public, and a community service/outreach where you find a way to give back to the community. My group chose to participate in the community outreach by building self-watering plastic water bottles with herbs and flowers planted inside. We also painted some of the water bottles to make them beautiful on the inside, and on the outside.
Our project didn't have as big an impact as we were hoping it would. We were hoping to share this idea with people all over the country via social media, and get a bit more of the school interested and involved. I think we did not accomplish this goal because our group struggled with communication and were unable to accomplish this extra work due to planting and painting taking priority.
Our project addressed the essential question because we were creating a more sustainable way of living. The herbs we planted can be picked and used in cooking. By making the pots out of old plastic water bottles we were finding a way to reuse the bottles and keep them out of landfills. We understand that petroleum is a finite resource, and that 50 billion barrels of oil are used just to make plastic water bottles each year.
This project was so cool, and so much fun too. I had never ever thought of an idea like this, so it was really cool to learn about it and figure out our own way to recreate it! I feel like this project was making a small difference for the environment, and our school. I also like the idea that it will add some color and life to the halls of Animas! It has be so incredible to come in each day and see more little green sprouts in each bottle, and to measure their growth. I was excited about the idea, but I was never convinced it would really work until I saw those little plants growing. Knowing this idea works, it inspires me to try other things and find little ways to make a difference.