Build a Bugtastcic Home!

Termite mounds are like tiny cities for bugs! They're built with amazing features that keep the termites cool and comfy, even in the hottest weather. These mounds have:

Tunnels and chambers: These winding pathways let air flow through, keeping things fresh and breezy.

Thick walls: Made from earth and special saliva, these walls act like insulation, keeping the inside cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Sunshades and vents: Clever overhangs and openings help shade the mound from the hot sun and let out hot air.

THE CHALLENGE: Imagine you're a tiny bug building your dream home. Inspired by the genius of termite mounds, design and build a Bugtastic Home that's cool, cozy, and full of surprises!

THE PROCESS:

1. Gather your building supplies: You can use recycled materials like cardboard boxes, paper tubes, leaves, twigs, and even clay!

2. Sketch your Bugtastic Home: Draw a picture or make a model to show how your home will look. Think about tunnels, chambers, walls, sunshades, and any other cool features you want to add.

3. Building time!: Use your imagination and creativity to bring your Bugtastic Home to life! You can glue, tape, paint, or decorate your creation in any way you like.

4. Presentation time!: Once your Bugtastic Home is ready, share it with your friends, family, or even your class! Explain how your home uses termite-inspired features to stay cool and comfortable.

BONUS POINTS FOR:

Using recycled materials.

Adding fun and creative details to your home.

Sharing your Bugtastic Home with others and explaining your design choices.

REMEMBER:

There's no right or wrong way to build a Bugtastic Home! Be creative and have fun!

Use your imagination and think about how termites keep their homes cool and cozy.

The most important thing is to learn and have fun while exploring the amazing world of biomimicry!

Deliverables

You can write an essay, create a model and upload pictures to  the website, or create a short video of your work. Choose any method to relay your design to us.

Winning designs will be  displayed at the Awards Ceremony.

Traffic jams are a major headache in our cities, wasting time, fuel, and causing stress. But ants, those tiny creatures, manage to move massive amounts of food without ever getting stuck! Can you, inspired by the secrets of ant behavior, design a solution to prevent or manage traffic congestion in your city?

BIOMIMICRY INSPIRATION:

Swarm Intelligence: Ants use pheromone trails to communicate and optimize their movement, avoiding bottlenecks and finding the fastest routes.

Decentralized Decision-Making: Individual ants make decisions based on local information, adapting to changing conditions without needing a central authority.

Self-Organizing Traffic Flow: Ants maintain a constant flow by adjusting their speed and spacing, preventing stop-and-go situations.

CHALLENGE STEPS:

1. Research: Learn about ant behavior, focusing on their traffic management strategies. Explore resources like the AskNature database, National Geographic documentaries, or scientific research papers.

2. Brainstorming: In teams, discuss and sketch out possible solutions inspired by ant behavior. Think about infrastructure changes, traffic light systems, communication technologies, or even educational campaigns.

3. Prototyping: Choose the most promising idea and develop a prototype. This could be a physical model, a computer simulation, or a detailed plan with diagrams and explanations.

4. Presentation: Prepare a presentation explaining your solution, its inspiration from ants, and its potential impact on traffic congestion. Highlight the advantages over existing solutions and address any challenges.

BONUS POINTS:

Addressing environmental sustainability in your solution.

Considering the needs of different types of transportation (cars, bikes, pedestrians).

Incorporating technology and data analysis for real-time traffic management.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS (TO INSPIRE BRAINSTORMING):

Adaptive Traffic Lights: Inspired by ant pheromones, these lights could adjust timing based on real-time traffic flow and dynamically create "green waves" for optimal vehicle movement.

Decentralized Navigation System: A system mimicking ant communication could guide drivers to the fastest routes, avoiding congested areas and optimizing overall traffic flow.

Micro-Lane Management: Inspired by ant spacing, dynamic lane markings could adjust to the number of vehicles, maximizing road capacity and preventing bottlenecks.

Incentive System for Carpooling: Similar to ant cooperation, rewarding carpooling and shared mobility could encourage efficient use of vehicles and reduce traffic volume.

Deliverables

You can write an essay, create a model and upload pictures to  the website, or create a short video of your work. Choose any method to relay your design to us.

Design a self-watering school garden inspired by nature's genius! This project can address water conservation, student engagement, and learning about biomimicry principles.

BIOMIMICRY INSPIRATION:

Water Storage and Transport: Cacti store water in their stems, pine needles collect and channel dew, pitcher plants have built-in reservoirs.

Water Absorption and Distribution: Plant roots absorb water efficiently, capillary action draws water upwards, leaf veins distribute water throughout the plant.

Regulation and Control: Stomata on leaves open and close to regulate water loss, some plants adjust flower blooming based on moisture levels.

DESIGN VARIATIONS BY GRADE LEVEL:

Grades 6-8: Design simpler systems like wicking beds using recycled materials, bottle irrigation systems, or rain barrel collection for watering.

Grades 9-12: Explore more complex designs like capillary mat systems, sub-irrigation with perforated pipes, or automated sensors for monitoring and adjusting watering based on plant needs.

POSSIBLE BIOMIMICRY SOLUTIONS:

Wicking beds: Inspired by plant root systems, use layers of gravel and soil with wicks to draw water from a reservoir below.

Porous materials: Use terracotta pots or coir planters that slowly release water as the soil dries out.

Self-watering planters: Design planters with double chambers, where the upper one holds soil and the lower one acts as a water reservoir with controlled access.

Rainwater harvesting: Collect rainwater in barrels or underground cisterns to use for irrigation.

Mulch layer: Mimic forest floors with a layer of mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds.

ADDITIONAL IDEAS:

Integrate the garden into the school building design, using rainwater from roofs or greywater for irrigation.

Create a learning space within the garden with benches, signage explaining biomimicry principles, and interactive elements.

Design the garden to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, contributing to the local ecosystem.

Use recycled materials and sustainable practices throughout the project.

ENCOURAGE:

Research different biomimicry examples related to water management and plant growth.

Sketch and model different design ideas, considering functionality, aesthetics, and cost-effectiveness.

Present the final design to the school community, explaining the biomimicry inspiration and potential benefits.

This biomimicry self-watering garden design challenge can be a rewarding learning experience for students, promoting environmental awareness, creativity, and problem-solving skills. 

Deliverables

You can write an essay, create a model and upload pictures to  the website, or create a short video of your work. Choose any method to relay your design to us.

Work with Charitable recycling (a non -profit), to collect empty ink and laser cartridges, old computer equipment, electronics, appliances, and any other items that can be recycled or reused from your school.

Deliverables

Upload a PDF, Word document, and /or Images describing what you did in this challenge.

Keep plastics out of the landfill while producing a useful product!Design and build indoor or outdoor projects using Ecobricks building blocks. Take pictures and videos of your process to document your work!See more on ecobricking here

Deliverables

Capture your work in a YouTube or TikTok video and upload to the website.

• Video should be no longer than 2 minutes long
• Ensure that "Bring Your Green" is in the title line.
• Confirm that your YouTube video is set to "public"

Recycling is changing, and it’s important to Recycle Right in your curbside bin. Your mission is to create a short video highlighting what can be recycled in Montgomery County, Ohio. Videos can be up to 30 seconds long & must support the “Recycle Right Montgomery County” theme. This Design Project is open to all Montgomery County students. See here for tips, requirements and resources.

Deliverables

Capture your work in a YouTube video and upload link to the website below. Each team must also submit a registration form, and media permission form for each participant.

• Video should be no longer than 30 seconds long
• Ensure that "Bring Your Green" is in the title line.
• Confirm that your YouTube video is set to "public"

Calling on all designers with an aptitude for fashion and sustainability to create fashion using leftover fabrics, reused items and unconventional materials to bring them back to life and utilize their full potential. You can design one item, or several. Winning team will have the opportunity to showcase their work in the Bring Your Green Awards Ceremony.

Deliverables

Upload information on your reused, sustainable or unconventional materials used, your concept, inspiration and theme of your creative work.
You can upload PDF or Word documents, PowerPoint, images, or YouTube / TikTok videos capturing your work.

• Videos no longer than 2 minutes long .
• Ensure that “Bring Your Green” is in your video title.
• Don’t upload a file larger than 6 MB .

Students will educate their peers on the environmental and ethical impacts of the industry, while exploring creative storytelling and digital marketing strategies.

PHASES:
Research and Brainstorming: Teams research fast fashion's environmental and social costs, ethical alternatives, and current influencer trends. They then brainstorm unique influencer personas, considering platforms, target audience, and messaging style.
Campaign Development: Teams will enhance their influencer profiles by crafting posts, stories, and videos that shed light on various critical issues. They will address the significant environmental impact of fast fashion, including pollution, excessive water usage, and textile waste. Additionally, they will highlight labor exploitation and the unfair working conditions prevalent in the industry. The campaign will also delve into the psychology of overconsumption and the constant chase of trends, promoting sustainable alternatives such as thrifting, upcycling, and supporting ethical brands.
Content Creation: Teams will design engaging content for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, tailored to maximize audience engagement and awareness. Their efforts will include informative explainer videos and infographics that shed light on ethical fashion practices, along with collaborations with local ethical fashion stores or designers to promote sustainability. They will also organize challenges and quizzes to raise awareness about the impact of fashion choices, feature fashion hauls from thrift stores or sustainable brands to showcase viable alternatives, and host Q&A sessions with experts or activists in the field to deepen the conversation around sustainable fashion.

OUTCOMES:

Students gain deeper understanding of fast fashion's impact and sustainable alternatives.
They develop critical thinking, research, and communication skills.
They learn about digital marketing and influencer culture.
The challenge fosters creativity, collaboration, and social responsibility within the school community.

Deliverables

Upload videos, infographics or written essays to relay your project messaging.

• Video should be no longer than 30 seconds long
• Ensure that “Bring Your Green” is in the title line.
• Confirm that it’s set to “public” .
• Each student in the team can submit a different video

Combat food waste and whip up delicious, healthy meals using the power of AI apps and the forgotten treasures in your fridge!

DURATION: One week (can be adjusted)

STEPS:
 1. Inventory & Inspiration: Students start by taking stock of their fridge and pantry using a designated AI app (e.g., "Leftover", "Yummly", "Pepperplate"). The app scans or manually inputs ingredients, categorizes them, and flags expiring items.

 2. AI Recipe Remix: Students use the app's AI recipe generator to create unique dishes based on their fridge contents. They can filter by dietary needs, preferences (spicy, vegetarian etc.), and skill level.

3. Get Creative: Encourage students to customize the AI-generated recipes! They can swap ingredients, add pantry staples, experiment with flavors, and even invent their own dishes.

4. Cooking & Capture: Time to get hands-on! Students prepare their culinary creations, documenting the process with photos and videos. Encourage them to highlight the use of "rescued" fridge items and showcase their creativity.

5. Share & Shine: Students share their dishes and recipes on social media to foster friendly competition, inspire others, and promote food waste awareness. Make sure to tag us #BringYourGreen #Challenges #Food Waste.

6. Judging will be based on originality, use of rescued ingredients, healthiness and overall appeal (photos, videos)

Deliverables

Recipe & Explanation: A written document including the final recipe (adapted from AI suggestions or original), explaining how they used "rescued" ingredients and showcased creativity.

Dish Photo & Video: A high-quality photo of the finished dish along with a short YouTube or TikTok video (optional) documenting the cooking process and highlighting the use of rescued ingredients.

Bonus: Food Waste Awareness Video: A short video raising awareness about food waste, inspired by the challenge experience.

• Don't upload a file larger than 6 MB
• Video no longer than 3 minutes long
• Make sure to include Bring Your Green in the video title

In your household, create a food journal for the day. Write down any food items you put in the trash or compost if you have one. Estimate the amount of food that gets tossed. At the end of the day, reflect on the following:

 1. What type of food did you throw away?

2. How much money did you lose?

3. What was your biggest takeaway from this activity? 

4. What surprised you? 

5. How can you plan to waste less food in the future?

Post a picture of your audit sheet with a clear, concise statement about what YOU will do to combat food waste.

Deliverables

Upload a PDF, Word document, and Images describing what you did in this challenge.

• No more than 5 attachments
• Don't upload a file larger than 6 MB

Develop a compelling and effective mascot representing the value and enjoyment of healthy snacking. This mascot will serve as a visual champion for positive dietary choices within your school community.

 MASCOT ELEMENTS:
Distinctive Name: Craft a memorable and impactful name that resonates with your peers and embodies the essence of healthy snacking.
Engaging Appearance: Design an eye-catching visual representation of your mascot. This could be a hand-drawn illustration, digital artwork, or even a costume prototype. Focus on originality, approachability, and a clear connection to healthy snacks.
Unique Power or Skill: Endow your mascot with a specific ability or characteristic that highlights the benefits of healthy choices. Perhaps they possess boundless energy fueled by fruits and vegetables, or maybe they have the power to transform bland lunches into delicious and nutritious feasts.
Motivational Motto: Develop a concise and impactful slogan that captures the essence of your mascot and encourages healthy snacking choices among your peers. Examples include "Crunch the Junk, Fuel Your Funk!" or "Snacks that Rock, Bodies that Clock!"

Deliverables

Upload your mascot design to the website using images, PDF, PowerPoint or YouTube video.

Establish a composting program at your school to manage food waste in your cafeteria or dining hall.

Deliverables

Upload a PDF, Word document, and /or Images describing what you did in this challenge.

• No more than 5 attachments
• Don't upload a file larger than 6 MB

Help the Dayton Society of Natural History (DSNH) reduce the amount of waste they send to landfills by finding a better way to handle animal waste from the Boonshoft Museum Zoo! 
DSNH has two types of organic waste: green waste and brown waste. Green waste comes from food scraps from the café and the kitchens where they prepare meals for the live animals. This green waste is composted with the help of the Dayton Food Bank. 
On the other hand, brown waste includes animal droppings, used mulch, and materials like newspapers, hay, wood shavings, and cardboard that come from animal bedding. Unfortunately, the Food Bank cannot use this brown waste for composting, so DSNH has to send it all to the landfill.
Student teams taking on this challenge will begin by researching how organic waste in landfills affects the environment. They will explore proven methods for managing animal waste more effectively, but they are also encouraged to think creatively. If they have a realistic idea, they can develop a new product or system to help solve this problem.
The Boonshoft Green Team is ready to help! They can give advice on how to clean and dispose of waste, share important information about places in the museum, guide students on nearby waterways, and check in with teams every few months to support their progress.

Submittals should include details on:
 o      Research
 o      Design
 o      Budget
 o      Environmental Impact

Deliverables

Submission can be in a variety of formats (written essay, 3D model, video, presentation, etc.).

• No more than 7 attachments
• Don't upload a file larger than 6 MB
• Videos no longer than 2 minutes long
• Ensure that “Bring Your Green” is in your video title.