Fall 2020 Waste Not Want Not Purple Plow Winners

Junior division winner: The Environmentalists from Bednarcik Junior High School in Aurora, IL; led by Amy Truemper

This team focused their project on reducing the amount of compostable waste in landfills, specifically by reusing cardboard. The team attempted to make paper and use the pulp byproduct to make packaging material. After experimenting with various binding agents, the team discovered wheat flour worked the best. The final product was a sturdy container that could potentially be used to store food! During this process, the team also discovered how they could reuse cardboard egg cartons to germinate seeds. This ambitious group even reached out to Dunkin’ Donuts to donate cardboard drink tray materials to their project.

The team specifically enjoyed educating themselves about compostable waste and all the ways to reuse everyday materials. Check out their video on egg carton gardens here!

Senior division: Letchworth Central FFA from Gainesville, NY; led by Kelly Wilcox

The Senior winners from Letchworth FFA found creative uses for old items by building a chicken coop out of a boat and a generator out of a car alternator!

In constructing the chicken coop, the team faced some design challenges that they overcame together. While constructing the motor, the students encountered some technical difficulties getting the current to run through the alternator to the battery. By reorienting the alternator so the fan was spinning the correct way, they got it to work. The team enjoyed joking around together while working on their project, and the team was proud to watch their ideas transform from paper to reality. 

Congratulations to both teams for winning the Fall 2020 Waste Not Want Not Purple Plow Challenge! Please be sure to check out the new Spring 2021 H2 Grow Challenge!