To support the next generation of environmental stewards, the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control has announced the award of Champion of the Environment awards to 11 schools. Teachers in grades K-12 apply for grant funding for their education projects that may focus on pollution of waste reduction, water or energy efficiency, or preservation of natural areas.
This year’s winners include: a project to add compost bins and rain barrels to a school garden to support learning about sustainable gardening practices; installation of a solar powered greenhouse with rooftop rainwater harvesting system built in part from 200 reused COVID plexiglass classroom shields; establishment of “do not mow” boundaries and water quality monitoring in a riparian zone habitat in partnership with the University of South Carolina’s Upstate Watershed Ecology Center; and increased overwintering habitat for pollinators and removal of non-native plants.
