The green revolution is coming to Queensborough Community College.
The college, located in Bayside, recently announced a new study that will analyze storm water runoff and its effects on the environment. The college will also attempt to reduce its own runoff.
This study allows students to get directly involved by collecting and studying samples of storm runoff. This provides students “practical experience in a rapidly growing area of employment,” said Mary Bandziukas, the project coordinator of Service Learning at the college.
Runoff is a major environmental issue, especially in urban areas where the asphalt is not absorbent, allowing for excess water to escape. Runoff can carry pollutants into the local watershed, which empties into Little Neck Bay and eventually into the Long Island Sound.
The study, which will begin in the spring semester, will include five classes and up to 100 students.
Next semester will not be the only opportunity for students to get involved in the study.
“Storm water sampling will be able to be done until the construction gets underway. As new students come in they can continue sampling,” said Bandziukas.
The school plans to reduce its runoff by replacing one of the parking lots with porous asphalt and working to change the landscape design.
“With the new porous parking lot, innovative landscaping design and rain gardens, we want to allow rainwater to be absorbed and retained,” said Arthur Perkins, associate dean for facilities, planning, design and construction. “Our goal is to create a sustainable re-design that will have a significant, positive impact on the local environment.”
The new parking lot parking lot will begin construction in 2012 or 2013, according to Perkins. This will allow for many semesters of sampling and observing of the runoff.
“The sampling data can be reused for many years. That’s the advantage of lots of samples. The data can be used into the future,” said Bandziukas.
Some of the data will be on display this coming April during Earth Day. Biology students will be creating a water footprint brochure, which will be on display during the coming year’s Earth Day fair.
This study is being funded by The Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF). The college also received a grant from the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (CUNY), which is funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other funders.
