High school student Madeline Abrams has developed an environmentally friendly and economically accessible way to capture rainwater using otherwise discarded plastic water bottles to create an irrigation system for vegetable gardens, farms and landscapes.

By using empty water bottles, cutting them in half lengthwise, and connecting them with waterproof tape (or other available resources), Madeline has created a gutter system to capture the rainfall that comes off of a roof. She then uses plastic bottles to create a downspout to direct the water to a holding tank similar to a rain barrel. Here is a link to the website she created, Harvest Every Drop, to share her invention: http://harvesteverydrop.com

Madeline recently presented her rainwater harvesting system virtually to 45 communities in New York, California, Uganda, Namibia, Lesotho, Angola and South Africa. Her invention is being shared with villages and communities as a way to conserve water and address the issue of upcycling plastic waste that has become a major problem in many parts of the world. An article about Madeline’s system was published earlier this month in an international Rotary magazine covering Uganda.

After the Zoom presentation, Madeline will share the instructional video she created as a reference to build her watering system to help communities harvest every drop.

For more information and to register: https://somervillepubliclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/celebrate-earth-day-and-learn-how-to-build-your-own-rain-harvesting-system/ 

Questions? Contact Kerry: keodonnell@somervillema.gov.

About Madeline:

Hi! My name is Madeline Abrams. I am a junior at Green Meadow Waldorf High School in Chestnut Ridge, NY, where I have received an interdisciplinary hands-on education. Throughout my years at Green Meadow, I have learned about water conservation through my school’s emphasis on supporting community efforts and addressing environmental struggles. My experiences with gardening and farming also inform my understanding of individual and collective agricultural needs. In light of climate change, I have been inspired to create an economically accessible system that targets issues related to water shortages, as well as pollution of “single-use” plastic water bottles. The hope is for anyone and everyone to be able to create and use this rainwater system so that each person can harvest every drop.

When you register for this event, you’ll receive an email confirmation with the Zoom information, as well as through reminder emails. Please make sure to check your spam folder if you don’t see it initially.