Rediscover the water
What can we do to help cities like Washington, D.C. protect its rivers from pollution?
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With time and urbanization, D.C.’s rivers have faced serious pollution, having been largely neglected.
They’re contaminated with trash, untreated sewage overflows, dirty storm runoff, and other pollutants.
Though some steps have been taken, neither waterway is considered safe for human use.
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The river is reputed to divide wealthier, cleaner neighborhoods from more impoverished ones. One side sees development investment, the other doesn’t. And the dirty river is a no-man’s land that perpetuates the social division.
We reached out to D.C. residents, who felt unattached, uninvolved, and hopeless about their dirty, unusable rivers.
THE IDEA
Transform river cleanup into an experience that helps people fall back in love with their rivers.
If people love their rivers, they’ll care for their rivers.
We’re rebuilding D.C.’s relationship with its rivers by creating an annual series of compelling, interconnected events to help restore the rivers through phytoremediation. Together, through small engagements in the spring, the community creates a spectacular ecological experience in the summer, with long-term positive impact on the water’s health.
As the cycle continues, more and more people will become interested and engage, perpetually bringing the rivers back to life.
The journey from sowing to send-off
1. CREATING THE PHYTOREMEDIATION PLANTERS
The public can get hands-on to build, sow, and grow the floating planters that will soon clean their rivers.
Pop-up activations, called Greenhouses, serve as a location for citizens to learn, and to play a role in sowing and assembling planters for the annual castoff festival. These are mobile, and double as storage and transit facilities for planters. They’re spread around the region’s parks, museums, and universities, making it convenient for people to be involved.
2. FESTIVAL
It all leads up to this moment: setting the planters free
The Festival is an annual event that takes place in a variety of locations on the Potomac and Anacostia rivers. District residents are invited to help send off planters from all over and celebrate as the planters set sail.
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The festival has exciting features such as live, local entertainment, food & beverage, and educational opportunities. The event is designed to generate massive buzz, even rivaling the iconic Cherry Blossom Festival.
All this interest that will ultimately advance awareness and engagement in cleaning, caring, and revitalizing the water.
3. PHYTOREMEDIATION
The floating plant islands bob around, cleansing the water: a proven, natural, and beautiful solution
Native aquatic plants purify the water in a process called phytoremediation—by absorbing harmful microbes, chemicals and heavy metals, and by reducing algae. Additionally, they release oxygen into the water, improving the environment for fish. This strategy has been researched, piloted, and implemented in cities like Honolulu and Hong Kong.
4. AFTERLIFE AND IMPACT
Living Rivers drives positive changes on the environment, quality of life, and local communities.
Late fall brings the end of the phytoremediation planters’ useful lives. Still, they can be used for a number of afterlife purposes; and long-term, they, and the cycle as a whole, leave a lasting impact on the rivers.
In collaboration with Dina Kaganer and Ali Sugarman