Recently, Dunbar High School has received $95,000 from the EPA and Chesapeake Bay Trust to build a green street. This project, titled "Green’O’vation"will be built along O Street between 1st and 3rd Streets in Washington DC. This new street will aim to prevent flooding near the school and serve as an outdoor science class for students. Rather than stormwater and floodwater going into the streets into storm drains, the water will be filtered on-site. Biorientation cells will be designed and built to collect 39,000 gallons of water. The street will also feature more 39 more trees and 900 shrubs to collect up to 500 gallons of water, reduce the heat-island effect, and create a more beautiful, healthy living environment.
Students will have an increased exposure to environmentally-friendly initiatives with the new green street. "It’s important for [the students] to learn about any and everything that would help save our environment,” Dunbar High School Principal Stephen Jackson says.
The G3 effort is designed to reduce stormwater runoff, increase energy efficiency, and create green jobs.
The other G3 projects include:
- Cambridge, MD- $75,000 grant to create a landscaped park with native trees and vegetation. This project strives to create a greener environment and reduce stormwater runoff.
- Northumberland, PA- $30,000 to create new green infrastructure that will reduce flooding issues in residential areas.
- Low Impact Development Center, Inc- $35,000 to create zero-runoff on Arapahoe Street in Forest Heights, MD; $35,000 to create a green street in Bladensburg, MD.
- Richmond, VA- $95,000 to the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay to install a green corridor
- Prince George's County, MD- $35,000 to create cost-effective financial partnerships to build and maintain new water quality infrastructure.
The G3 Grant Program is open to local governments and nonprofit organizations. Grants will fund green stormwater infrastructure and green jobs. For more information visit http://www.cbtrust.org/
To learn more about Stormwater Management, click here to register for a course or webinar with GreenEDU!