The PS#5 Eco -Cougars wanted to tackle environmental issues affecting our community as well as raise awareness on how these issues can be addressed. Our goal is to make Jersey City a better place to live in so that future generations can enjoy our beautiful city. We are currently researching water conservation and the importance to protect our waterways. The Eco-Cougars with the help of the Rutgers Water Resource Program have identified that storm water runoff and non-point sources of pollution from our school area as well as our community are a big environmental concern.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We want to implement green infrastructure on and around our school to alleviate flooding in our community as well as limit the amount of pollutants that enter our waterways.We also want to raise awareness on the importance of conserving water. We sent out a survey to our community to see how our community uses water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also conducted a water audit in our school to see how our school uses or misuses water. We compiled the data and created posters, a video as well as website to share our results and promote water conservation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We discussed our project proposal with Councilman Richard Boggiano of Jersey City at our school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We presented our findings at a city council meeting to further our goal of reaching more people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of our immediate goals is build a 300 gallon water harvesting system in the back of our school that will aid in storm water management as well as promote water conservation. We want to use the collected rain water to keep our school garden hydrated as well as build a rain garden that will help alleviate storm water runoff in front of our school. We want PS#5 to be an example of urban sustainability and eventually reshape urban landscapes.

 

 

We are currently working with Sustainable Jersey City which is a Collaborative Network of green community groups and individuals within Jersey City who have come together to advance efforts to move the city toward a more sustainable future. They are helping us move forward with our project by providing us with fund raising opportunites.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are our architectural plans which we hope to implement to conserve water and alleviate flooding.