Cronin Blog #3

As we progress deeper and deeper into our service learning project, our initial idea has developed from a cloudy thought into a very viable solution to a somewhat unknown issue. Thanks to Tyler Elliot, our model has progressed from one made of shaky plastic board, up to one made of sturdy wood that will produce a much more stable foundation for our demonstration. Today we began to add the finishing touches to our model with the addition of gutters composed of a rigid plastic tubing along both sides of the roof equipped with working downspouts made of a flexible plastic tubing that will eventually lead into a single rain barrel. The model demonstration will be driven by a small pump placed in a bucket of water within the walls of the house. The pump will be hooked up to the same type of flexible tubing that was used for the downspouts, and run out through a hole in one of the walls up to the roof where it will disperse the "rain" onto either side of the roof and be collected by the gutters and eventually the rain barrel. A fresh coat of paint was added to the roof and we plan to paint the rest of the house and potentially even add some Christmas themed items or decorations to add to the aesthetic of the model. What we are hoping to accomplish with our demonstration is to educate the local community on some issues that are typically unknown, like drought in Vermont. On the flip side we are also hoping to prove that we have presented a viable solution to a much more well-known issue, like the flooding that Vermont sometimes experiences. No matter what the application, we as a team believe that rain barrel and gutter systems could provide great benefit to any residence that decides to install them, as well as their surrounding communities. For every new home or business that chooses to implement this strategy, the more effective it becomes as a flood prevention or mitigation method, another great reason to get on board!