Advanced Drainage Systems – Pipe & Water Management Solutions. ADS Pipe. (n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://www.adspipe.com/

Summary: ADS is a company that invents and designs beneficial products that can be implemented anywhere in the world. They offer many types of designs for pipes, water management systems, and different markets their technology could be used for. ADS provides high-quality products at an affordable price. ADS also maintains the fact that their products are easy to install and sustain, even in some cases, they can be maintained by only one public works employee. ADS also provides good customer service and has reps waiting to answer your questions.

How I used it: In my essay, I used ADS as a reference to show proof to my readers that the technology that I wanted to implement in my proposal is real and is ready to be installed anywhere

CICEA, C., & PÎRLOGEA, C. (2011). GREEN SPACES AND PUBLIC HEALTH IN URBAN AREAS. Theoretical and Empirical Researches in Urban Management, 6(1), 83–92. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24873277

Summary: Cities are considered to be the most complex non-natural ecosystem, according to Caldiu Cicea, author of “GREEN SPACES AND PUBLIC HEALTH IN URBAN AREAS.” Not only does the absence of green spaces affect our future life, but it generates a series of critical economic benefits for the future. Looking at green spaces from an ecological perspective, it could offer benefits like consuming carbon dioxide in photosynthesis. It can also help moderate urban climate change through shade and purify the atmosphere by destroying microorganisms by releasing oxygen. Some social benefits given by urban green spaces are promoting a healthier lifestyle by encouraging walking, running, and other activities. Urban spaces also increase social inclusion by promoting social contact between people and cultural events like festivals and theatre events. Studies show that housing ad land value near green spaces may increase by 8-20%. Cities implementing green spaces would attract more visitors, generating more revenue from surrounding retailers. It is known that lack of exercise tends to lead to obesity and heart disease. Investing money into green spaces would prevent such health problems. Reducing health problems also lowers medical expenses. An Australian report conducted in 2008 found that forest accounts for 60% of all the carbon that exists on earth. Trees have the remarkable ability to absorb harmful pollutants and stabilize dust, acting as a natural air filter. Cities tend to also generate much runoff since all of the city is made out of impervious surfaces, a material that can not be penetrated by water. Green spaces are a remarkable thing to add to a town because they produce more revenue for the city and keep it much cleaner and healthier.

How I used it: This article helps me demonstrate how green infrastructure not only helps with managing stormwater, but it promotes a healthier lifestyle. It also explained how the economic value increases when more green infrastructure and green spaces are within a town/ community.

Edwards, C. (2021, May 26). 10 Reasons to Oppose an Infrastructure Package. Cato.org. Retrieved November 17, 2022, from https://www.cato.org/commentary/10-reasons-oppose-infrastructure-package

Summary: Chris Edwards, the author of “10 Reasons to Oppose an Infrastructure Package”, is against Bidens $2.3 billion infrastructure plan. It’s getting pushback from democrats and republicans with concerns about cost. One red flag is that corporate taxes are funding the plan, so many politicians are worried it would undermine recovery from regaining all the taxes. The Republicans have tried to counteroffer with a smaller package of $600 billion, but the government doesn’t have this much money to give out in the grand scheme of things. Edwards argues that Biden’s plan is: causing tax hike damage, not needed, issues to corporate welfare, not green, cost increase, wasteful spending, policy distortion, bureaucracy, brides are not crumbling as they say, and it discourages reforms.

How I used it: In my paper, Chris Edward’s article was very beneficial to my counterargument. I did not use all ten of his examples but focused on his statements about unnecessary and wasteful spending. I also included his words about how Biden’s plan is not green setting up a good counterargument.

Energy Data Management Manual for the Wastewater Treatment Sector. (n.d.). November 2, 2022, from https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2018/01/f46/WastewaterTreatmentDataGuide_Final_0118.pdf 

Summary: In December 2017, the U.S. Department of energy put out a report for Energy Data Management based on the Wastewater Treatment Sector. Energy efficiency has become a top priority within the wastewater sector. Across the U.S., wastewater treatments use more than 30 terawatt-hours per year of electricity. This comes out to about $2 billion a year in electric costs. As the population continues to grow steadily, energy needs are expected to increase significantly. A wastewater plant can consume up to 25-40% of the operator’s budget. New systems are starting to be set in place that help companies track their overall progress. Treatment plants are also setting huge goals that are long term that incorporate renewable energy. Within a wastewater plant, there are three critical issues companies deal with: “: (1) how energy is used within the plant, (2) the extent that energy metering and submetering are in place or likely to be installed in the near future, and (3) whether renewable energy resources will be used on-site.” If companies are willing to invest in energy upgrades, they must follow the following steps to qualify for an energy data management system: 1- Define boundaries, 2- Create a baseline, 3-create data, 4-Determine metrics, 5-Set up a tracking system.

How I used it: In my initial findings, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to incorporate this source within my paper. I thought it was wasted space, but I found it helpful after carefully crafting my essay. The full report included 35 pages of useful information, but I only needed two sections discussing the wastewater plant’s electric bill. I worked on my essay before discussing my proposal for a relatively new renewable energy source. This will show my readers that because electricity costs are high, we need to develop new energy sources.

Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). EPA. RetrievedNovember 2, 2022, from https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/what-green-infrastructure 

Summary: According to the Environmental Protection Agency, water pollution in Urban areas is a huge issue. The majority of this pollution is caused by runoff from stormwater. Some things in stormwater include trash, bacteria, metals, and other harmful pollutants. Communities all across the country have relied heavily on the use of gray infrastructure. Gray infrastructure includes things like pipes, gutters, and underground tunnels. Over the years, the existing capacity of our stormwater drains cannot handle the large volumes being produced. To help combat this issue, many communities and cities are installing green infrastructure that works along with existing infrastructure. Congress enacted the Water Infrastructure act in 2019, which defined green infrastructure as “the range of measures that use plant or soil systems, permeable pavement or other permeable surfaces or substrates, stormwater harvest and reuse, or landscaping to store, infiltrate, or evapotransspirate stormwater and reduce flows to sewer systems or to surface waters.”  Green infrastructure comes in many different styles. In an urban element, residents could implement rain barrels under their gutters that collect rainwater and repurpose that water to water their landscape. Neighborhoods could take the time and dedicate park space instead of housing or commercial use. Many other examples of green infrastructure include downspout disconnection, rain gardens, bioswales, and permeable pavements. Not only does green infrastructure in municipalities help keep pollution down, but it also may help save money in the long run. At first green infrastructure has a higher up-front cost to plan and develop, but over time they need less maintenance than gray infrastructure. As time passes, nature will slowly develop a more sophisticated area where it was initially planted. Although many municipalities have not yet implemented green infrastructure, the EPA has a fantastic website that will help kickstart green infrastructure near you.

How I used it: This article from the EPA helped me provide official definitions of what grey and green infrastructure are. It also helped me gain knowledge of what and where green infrastructure is most beneficial. The article also provided me with information about how implementation costs will be higher, but lower maintenance will make up for it.

Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Overcoming Barriers to Green Infrastructure. EPA. Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/overcoming-barriers-green-infrastructure

Summary: Across the country, communities have been noticing the dramatic effects green infrastructure has caused. According to the EPA, in their report, “Overcoming Barriers to Green Infrastructure,” towns have set in place new standards or have given out incentives promoting the use of green infrastructure. While implementing green infrastructure may sound easy, many barriers may be faced. Some of those barriers include the perception of higher costs, resistance, and unfamiliarity with maintenance and expenses. Some strategies to combat higher costs are learning about the national and local experience, which helps improve the triple bottom line, focusing on people, prosperity, and the planet. Consult with engineers and other members of the team to avoid unwanted costs. Green infrastructure is often cost-effective but, at times, can be difficult. Using tools like cost analysis will help manage. The EPA also discusses barriers you may face with developers and design challenges.

How I used it: In both instances, the EPA played a crucial role in my paper. This article helped me incorporate barriers that may be faced. The source had many obstacles, but the one that was mainly talked about was that green infrastructure introduces higher costs than typical grey infrastructure. I used a form that would help backup my point that this isn’t true and just people’s opinions.

McBride, J., & Siripurapu, A. (2021, November 8). The state of U.S. infrastructure. Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved November 17, 2022, from https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/state-us-infrastructure

Summary: James McBride, the author of ” The State of U.S. Infrastructure,” claims that our infrastructure needs an upgrade. Our economy is around $20 trillion and heavily relies on a massive network of infrastructure costing roads, bridges, freight rail, ports, and electrical grids. Many engineers have raised safety concerns over the years that bridges are no longer structurally sound. Many people are skeptical of federal spending, so new private sectors have been transformed, which are supposed to be more efficient and cost-effective. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the U.S. economy took a significant hit. In 2021, congress approved Biden’s infrastructure plan, which would be the most significant federal investment in decades. Infrastructure is critical to the U.S. economy since poor infrastructure could cost the U.S. economy millions. It is estimated that traffic costs the economy over $120 billion per year and that air transportation supports over 1.4 million jobs in the U.S. In 2021, The American Society of Civil Engineers compiled report cards on the U.S. infrastructure. The ASCE gave our nation’s infrastructure a C-. They concluded that there is currently a massive investment gap, estimated at 2.6 trillion. If this isn’t addressed by the U.S. soon, it could cost the U.S. 10 trillion in lost Gross Domestic Product by 2039.

How I used it: This article helped provide me with some factual proof that US infrastructure is crumbling. It gave me report cards from the ASCE and estimated the investment gaps and how much it could cost the US.

Ono, R. (2022, August 23). What is wave energy? Ocean Conservancy. Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2022/08/23/wave-energy/?ea.tracking.id=18HPXWJBXX&gclid=CjwKCAiAvK2bBhB8EiwAZUbP1OQSrKzixy77thqfAnq_a5foahm-v6a_nOBLmYLETjVW2kegnihVkhoCGt4QAvD_BwE

Summary: Ryan Ono, author of “What is Wave Energy,” describes in detail what wave energy consists of. Ryan states that waves are created when the wind blows over the ocean. As the wind pushes the water, it creates a ripple effect that turns into waves. As the waves pound the shoreline, we could use waves to provide movement to generators. As these generators harness the movement of the waves, they will produce electricity. These devices are often referred to as wave energy converts or WECs. Over the past 200 years, engineers have been working hard to try and create a system that will produce electricity from waves. This would be very beneficial for the world because waves are consistently being produced, unlike other renewable energy sources like solar or wind. WECs are made of many different parts and can be built in many different styles. Three styles that are mainly used are point absorbers, attenuators, and oscillating wave surges. The point absorbers utilize water to push and pull pistons and rams, resulting in electricity production. Wave energy is not common in many places, but it’s starting to be introduced more. We are currently unsure of the environmental impact WECs have, but as the technology continues to be deployed in more bodies of water, further research will be done.

How I used it: This article helped discover multiple devices that are ready to be implemented into our oceans while generating electricity. It allowed me to show my readers that I have proof that waves can create electricity and helped me produce an energy source for my desalinization unit. This article helped me prove that this technology is already researched and is almost ready to be rolled out worldwide.

Pavements. U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Highway Administration. (n.d.). Retrieved November 3, 2022, from https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/ 

Summary: Permeable concrete, is various types and forms of open grass and aggregate pavements that allow water filtration instead of creating runoff. Some systems even include reservoirs that are stored underneath these permeable surfaces. Introducing a reservoir enables water to be cooled off before being drained. This is important because hot water is one of the leading causes of water pollution. Many permeable surfaces do not require underdrains as high infiltration subgrade soils do. When stormwater enters the system, it captures and holds the suspended particles within the bedding. According to the Federal Highway Administration, these systems remove 35% of phosphorous and  30% of nitrogen. However, they do not remove dissolved chemicals, metals, and salts. Maintenance is essential as it provides a durable and safe driving surface. Vacuum sweeping is one way to maintain these surfaces, and power washing often. If proper maintenance is practiced, it will ensure the long-term durability of the permeable pavement. These types of pavements are not suitable everywhere, but with appropriate design, construction, and maintenance, these systems will produce an effective green alternative.

How I used it: This article allowed me to learn what exactly a permeable pavement consists of. It also gave me an insight into what systems can work alongside porous surfaces like reservoirs or storage containers. It offered maintenance practices and solutions that should be utilized once a permeable surface is installed.

Staddon, C. (2019, June 12). Challenges of mainstreaming green infrastructure in Built Environment Professions. Taylor & Francis. Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09640568.2019.1605890

Summary: “Challenges of mainstreaming green infrastructure in built environment professions” by Chad Staddon and others introduces many ideas of barriers and solutions green infrastructure has to offer. Chad states that implementing green infrastructure is just too soon, and many concerns exist. Green infrastructure proposes a lot of challenges like planning, designing, implementing, and maintenance. Many developers are scared even to step foot in the process because there is little data and technical experience to follow. There are also a few regulations and guidelines towns could follow. This creates many challenges for developers because they may need special permission or permits to build and design something. Staddon acknowledges that currently, there is a huge gap between legislators and contractors, and something must be done to fix this. Staddon also talks about the socioeconomics of green infrastructure challenges with financing since green infrastructure projects are usually not cheap.

How I used it: Staddon’s paper is my primary source of information for my research paper. Not only does it discuss many challenges for green infrastructure proposes, but it also offers many solutions. I focused most of my attention on the challenges and built strong counterargument to his statements. I rebuttaled other sources in my paper but msot of it came from Staddon.

Stormwater. Philadelphia Water Department. (n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://water.phila.gov/stormwater/ 

Summary: According to Philadelphia Water Department, stormwater is very important to manage. When it rains, water builds up and collects harmful pollutants before entering the sewer system. Many areas have combined water systems combining stormwater from streets and wastewater from our houses and businesses. When the weather is dry and there is no rain, the integrated systems have the means to transport and treat all water entering the system. However, suppose there is a storm that produces much rainfall; this could overwhelm the system and fill the pipes much faster than the plants can handle, causing the overflowing water to enter our waterways. Any bodies of water with a combined system overflowed in the last 24 hours are hazardous for recreational use. Some municipalities have separate sewer systems from their stormwater pipes. This solves the issue of stormwater mixing with our wastewater and causing plant backup. However, storm runoff goes directly into the closest body of water without being treated. Introducing Green Water Infrastructure, or GSI, allows runoff to get soaked up by plants that filter the water before it saturates the ground. Other systems slowly release the water into sewer systems once the threat of overflows has passed.

How I used it: This article allowed me further explore how sewer systems work. Many towns still utilize one mixed pipe instead of two separate ones. It was interesting to see how although combined systems are used mainly throughout the US, they are much worse than separate sewer systems. It allowed me to point out that we must upgrade to all separate systems, so backups are less frequent.

The United States Government. (2021, December 2). President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The White House. Retrieved November 18, 2022, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/bipartisan-infrastructure-law/#cleanwater

Summary: Back in November of 2021, Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In the article” President Bidens Bipartism President Infrastructure law,” Joe Biden has been hard at work, promising to work endlessly to propose a plan that will help rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. The new law will “rebuild America’s roads, bridges, and rails, expand access to clean drinking water, ensure every American has access to high-speed internet, tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice, and invest in communities that have too often been left behind. This new law will not only help ease inflation but will significantly increase supply chains that need an upgrade. The breakdown to each segment is as follows: $55 million to clean water, $65 billion for high-speed internet, $110 billion for roads and bridges, $39 billion to upgrade existing public transportation, $17 billion for our ports, $25 billion to address repairs within airports, $66 billion for our railways, $7.5 billion towards a network of EV chargers, $65 billion to clean energy, $50 billion to protect against cyber attacks and climate change, and $21 billion to clean up legacy pollution.

How I used it: This article gave me proof with numbers on how Joe Biden is planning to break up his newly proposed infrastructure law. It also helped me come back with a counterargument to Chris Edwards who says it is a waste of money.

Water pollution what’s the problem with litter? – Indiana. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2022, from https://www.carmel.in.gov/home/showdocument?id=182

Summary: Many believe that industries are the main contributor to water pollution, not households. According to the City of Carmel engineering department, homes like yours contribute more to water pollution than surrounding industries. More than 60% of water pollution comes from litter and trash. Things like fertilizer and pet waste can make their way into our waterways and hurt our environment. Litter is commonly found in our channels which is disappointing because it is relatively easy to avoid. Most waste can be recycled, which would significantly help. On average, it takes 200-500 years for an aluminum can to decompose and over 1 million years for a glass bottle to fully decompose. Some things that are recommended to help protect our environment is to just not litter in the first place and dedicate your time to cleanup projects that help beautify one town at a time.

How I used it: This article was only used for one segment in my essay. I only utilized the qoute ” Now, more than 60% of water pollution comes from things like trash and litter, excess fertlizer, and pet waste.” Helped me show how trash is greatly affecting our waterways.

YouTube. (2020). Chasing 500 Watts, Big Pelton Turbine. YouTube. Retrieved November 13, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOgO8z71D0o&t=16s&ab_channel=JoeMalovich.

Summary: In the video produced by Joe Malovich, he shows us a video of how anyone at home could make electricity at home by simply just using a turbine. Throughout Joes Video, he demonstrates basic mechanical and electrical skills that anyone could pick up after watching a few videos. There are many parts used in homemade turbines, but the top few parts are the generator, motorized ball valve, Pelton spoons, and High/ Low DC voltage wire. The system does have a few bottlenecks which are the 12V DC System; the input wire can not handle more amps, so the turbine can’t go faster than it already is. Also, within the housing of the turbine and generator, there is a lot of windage.

How I used it: Not sure if we were allowed to use videos as a source, so I only used one. I wanted to show my readers that water turbines are simple and easy to build. All you need is basic electrical and mechanical skills to produce electricity at home.