The Office of Sustainability and staff at Charles Library have worked together to install a hydroponics display located by the main staircase on the 3rd Floor. This installation was led by Green Grant recipients, Engineers for Climate Action. The Green Grant funds student-led projects, programs, and initiatives that advance Temple University’s commitment to sustainability through their positive impact on campus and our local environment and community.
Engineers for Climate Action were awarded $900 from the Office of Sustainability’s Green Grant for parts associated with the construction of the hydroponics display. Their sustainable hydroponics system, an innovative solution for growing plants using mineral-rich water instead of soil, now lives in Charles Library.
Since its installation in late April, it has become a luscious garden! Ranging in plant variety from tomatoes to kale, few libraries are lucky enough to have tomatoes growing inside the actual building!
“Not only do our crops use ~90% less water than traditional methods, but the living installation serves as a reminder to all students on campus that there is a culture of sustainability here are Temple,” Maddy Mailloux said.
Hydroponic systems have many benefits including enhancing plant yields, using less water, being able to grow all year round, and preventing soil degradation. The hydroponics system is not just a tool for growing plants—it is a platform for cultivating awareness, fostering collaboration, and driving progress toward a more sustainable future.
All made possible by the Green Grant recipients, these students have worked hard to achieve this triumph but they couldn’t have done it without one another.
“A little extra effort goes a long way when it comes to sustainability… working in collaboration towards a common goal can do a lot of good on our campus,” Erich Sands said.
Climate Action PA, League of Conservation Voters, put together a video with the students involved in the hydroponic installation. Click here to watch the installation come to life.
Want to learn more about how the hydroponic system works? Check out this blog post.
The grant application opens late in the fall semester, and winners are selected early the following calendar year. Project implementation and execution spans the spring semester.
To learn more about this grant, visit this site.