RAD Sustainability

Here’s a look at some of our water data from the aquaponics fish tank over last few weeks. Since the installation of the horizontal nutrient system, we have noticed a dramatic drop in our Nitrate levels which have dropped to our more sustainable target zone between 20 and 50 ppm.  The graph shows how high the Nitrate levels were prior to the horizontal system, which now holds 32 plants which have been using the excess nitrogen (and using it effectively, our strawberry plants are flowering and close to bearing fruit) to spur growth, and how their consumption has caused a major drop to healthy levels.

The aquaponics greenhouse is flourishing! We currently have 10 full-grown tilapia who are enjoying life in their spacious tank while contributing to the growth of our squash, broccoli, and tomatoes in our aquaponics system. We have also added 13 baby tilapia to our office where we are watching attentively and watching their development excitedly.

Finally, we have planted 111 seeds including basil, cilantro, jalapeno, broccoli, eggplant, yellow tomato, red tomato, cherry tomato, cucumber, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, yellow squash, zucchini, pumpkin, muskmelon, and watermelon  which are resting on the top shelf soaking up the ample sunlight. Stay tuned as these seedlings may be given away to some lucky Greeners!

Take a look at the greenhouse!

On October 26, RAD Sustainability took a trip to Cedar Creek Corrections Center (CCCC) in Littlerock, WA.  CCCC is one of many Department of Corrections locations that participate in the Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP).  In 2003, SPP was a program co-founded by Evergreen faculty member Dr. Nalini Nadkarni.  CCCC was the first Washington Department of Corrections facilities to participate in the program.

SPP’s vision is: “This union of ideas and activities – and people inside and outside prison walls – creates a collaborative, intellectually stimulating environment in which incarcerated men and women play key roles in conservation and advancing scientific knowledge. We encourage teamwork, mutual respect and a stewardship ethic among individuals who typically have little or no access to nature or opportunities in science and sustainability. Our vision is not only to save tax dollars and natural resources, but also to help offenders rebuild their lives for the benefit of all.”

RAD Sustainability went to Cedar Creek Corrections Center to pick up tilapia for our aquaponic greenhouse off of N Apartment in Lower Campus.  The tilapia are doing well in their new home and you can email radsustainability@evergreen.edu to schedule a tour of the aquaponic greenhouse and see the tilapia.

More information on the Sustainability in Prisons Project can be found at: http://sustainabilityinprisons.org/

By Rhianna Hruska, 2nd Year Master of Environmental Studies candidate, Secretary/Treasurer of the Clean Energy Committee, and Sustainability Resident Assistant for the Mods.

There’s an exciting update in the world of RAD aquaponics!  Tilapia will be put into the system soon and RAD staff wanted to have the proper equipment to make sure the quality of the tilapia’s habitat can be measured as accurately as possible.  Monitoring the local environment that the tilapia live in allows RAD staff to make any necessary adjustments so the tilapia can continue to thrive in the RAD aquaponic greenhouse media-bed system.  For those who have not been in the greenhouse before, the pond for fish (which currently has goldfish in it), is built into the ground, so staff and visitors in the greenhouse walk on a platform above the pond.  This design saves room so the rest of the greenhouse can be utilized for other additions, like the barrels filled with water that passively help to heat and cool the greenhouse.

Funding for the pH data logger was awarded to RAD Sustainability by Evergreen’s Clean Energy Committee (CEC).  The Clean Energy Committee has hearings twice a quarter, where students, staff, and faculty can apply for funding for sustainability projects on campus.  An example of other RAD projects that CEC has funded include: the solar panels on top of Mod 302 and the compost heat recovery system.  Click on the flyer in this blog post to learn more!  Or email cleanenergy@evergreen.edu with any inquiries or questions.