Our Crowdfunding Groups
Water scarcity is a crisis whose effects are widespread: close to a billion people worldwide lack sufficient access to drinking water, and most resources that do exist are subject to mismanagement due to overuse. As urbanization and population density continue to increase, innovation in water resource processing is becoming more and more needed.
One shortcoming in water conservation is a failing in water treatment infrastructure- that’s where Team VERDANT comes in. Traditional wastewater treatment systems are costly to upgrade/maintain, energy intensive, and require a lot of land. As it stands, these systems indiscriminately send all used water to a plant for chemical purification even though only sewage, which makes up less than a third of domestic wastewater, needs to be treated to this extent.
So what’s in the majority of wastewater if it’s not what comes out of the toilet? Greywater, defined as wastewater with lower levels of pollution, is what comes from showers and sinks and washing machines and it typically accounts for 75% of total domestic wastewater. If we can process greywater for separate treatment, greater sustainability in wastewater refinement can be achieved.
Greywater recycling schemes have been shown to achieve potentially 10-50% savings on water usage. Purified greywater can be used for irrigation, toilet flushing, and laundry. But how do we purify greywater to start with?
The answer is Green Walls! These “self-sufficient vertical gardens” receive water and nutrients from within vertical supports instead of ground. Green walls come with a variety of environmental and social advantages including energy conservation, promoting biodiversity, improving air quality, reducing noise pollution in buildings, and promoting the mental wellbeing of those that frequently interact with them.
Team VERDANT, (Vegetated walls to Enable Reuse, Detoxification, And Natural Treatment of greywater), will be evaluating which combination of MD native plants and media in an indoor green wall is most effective for filtering greywater as part of the 2024 cohort of the UMD Gemstone Research Program. Specifically, we will be taking into account the greywater impurities common to our local area in order to reduce strain on local water resources.
Gifts in support of the University of Maryland are accepted and managed by the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, Inc., an affiliated 501(c)(3) organization authorized by the Board of Regents. Contributions to the University of Maryland are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Please see your tax advisor for details.
Donors would help us purchase lab supplies like gloves, isopropyl alcohol, and paper towels. At this level, we'll name a plant after you!!
Donors would help us purchase growth media used for the plants like coco coir and perlite (as well as Lab Level materials). At this level, we'll name a plant after you!!
Donors would help us purchase materials for constructing the green wall like pots, metal shelving, and power tools (as well as Media and Lab Level materials). At this level, we'll give a pot any name of your choosing!!
Donors would help us purchase bulk endemic Maryland plants to be used for the green wall (as well as Construction, Media, and Lab level materials). At this level, we'll give a pot any name of your choosing!!
Donors would help us purchase proper tools for chemical water testing like a dissolved oxygen meter, pH meters, and nitrate electrodes (as well as Lab, Media, Construction, and Plant level materials). At this level, we'll name one of our green wall replicates after you and you'll receive a personal postcard from the team!!
Donors would help us to maintain our laboratory space by helping with space rental costs and maintenance for lights and temperature regulation (as well as Lab, Media, Construction, Plant, and Water Level materials). At this level, we'll name one of our green wall replicates after you and you'll receive a personal thank you video!!