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5.2. ECCSR 05-18-2016 Recommendations for Green Roof Design for the Elk River Wastewater Treatment Plant Nicolas Boldon Matthew Cox Samuel Duncanson Gretta Johnson Environmental Problem Solving University of St. Thomas Spring 2016 Dr. Chip Small SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PARTNERSHIP COLLABORATING WITH CITIES FOR THE COMMON GOOD , +4 7 I.fISSISSIPPI Office of Sustainability Initiatives LSE} ahs Elt _ WATERSxeo Center for Global and Local Engagement St�Thornas fiks,:,d C Oy River Executive Summary The City of Elk River has expressed interest in installing a green roof on a building at their wastewater treatment plant, primarily as a demonstration project and with secondary benefits in reducing stormwater runoff and reducing the urban heat island effect. We approached this by researching green roofs and the associated costs, maintenance needs and materials required to construct a green roof. There are a myriad of options when it comes to building a green roof, from hiring a contractor to custom-ordering materials to building it without professional help. Each option has its own advantages and drawbacks, discussed in detail in this report. But installation is not the only step to a successful green roof. After installation, the plants need to be properly watered and cared for. It is also important for the plants on the roof to be relatively low maintenance and not have large water requirements, since the employees at the treatment plant have other duties than looking after the green roof. In this report we have made recommendations based on what we know about Elk River's needs based on our research on green roofs. 2 Introduction Through the Sustainable Communities Partnership of the University of St. Thomas, our Environmental Problem Solving class has partnered with the City of Elk River to explore the costs and benefits of installing a green roof at the wastewater treatment plant. Not only will this be the first alternative treatment system on city property, but the green roof will provide opportunities for teaching residents about stormwater management, and serve as a focal sustainability project for the city. We have done extensive background research on the importance of green roofs, the type of materials needed to build a green roof, the approximate price of installation and the overall maintenance that is needed to keep the roof functioning well. We contacted multiple people such as roofing contractors and green roof installers for expert advice on this project. All of us completed a ten-hour online course on green roof design9, which gave us extensive information on how green roofs work and what is necessary to build a green roof. Using all of this information, we have prepared this report based on the various questions that could arise while explaining the green roof. Overall, we have the confidence that this green roof will be the start of a great push toward sustainable living and be an example of the future of water treatment alternatives. What is a green roof? A living roof or green roof is a roof of a building that is first covered with a waterproof membrane and then completely or partially covered with vegetation that is kept alive by a growing medium, or soil. What the benefits of green roofs? (Why would we want plants on our roof?) There are many benefits that come from having a green roof. The first benefit is a 50-60% average reduction in stormwater runoff due to the plants absorbing rainwater and allowing the water to evaporate back into the air.$ Polluting particles traveling in the air are absorbed into plants during rainfall , which ensures that these polluting particles do not enter the water systems due to stormwater runoff.$ Air quality is also improved due to plants reducing carbon dioxide in the air and the production of oxygen during photosynthesis.$ Green roofs are known for their ability to perform as roof installation, which lowers the heat entering the building below the roof. Poorly insulated roofs can lead to overheating of the space below them, which increases the use of high energy air conditioning system.$ A combination of plant processes (photosynthesis and evapotranspiration) reduces the amounts of solar energy penetrating the roof base membrane, which lowers the overall temperature of the space below.$ 3 Green roofs serve as wildlife habitats through their ability to act as a food source for birds and butterflies as well as being a space for bird and insect nesting habitats, which leads to an increase in biodiversity. Biodiversity improves the productivity of an ecosystem which brings many health benefits such as reducing allergies and asthma.5 The roofs can also serve as an educational/demonstrative space about both plants and correct green roof practice. This is especially important at Elk River where this green roof will be the first public green roof in the city where it can serve as an example for others interested in sustainable alternatives. Are there different types of green roofs? There are two types of green roofs: Intensive and Extensive. Intensive green roofs have a large plant palette and have a 12 cm-35 cm substrate. These types of green roofs have a "parklike" appearance and are high maintenance. Extensive green roofs have a more limited plant palette, composed of drought resistant plants (e.g. sedums), and has a 10 cm substrate. These green roofs require less maintenance and have limited public access .' Intensive Green Roof Extensive Green Roof 1 " kj R+ r, :xtits Ns ' ;,"NOW nn i (http://recovergreenroofs.com/project-breakdown/)(http://www.greenrooftechnology.com/green-roof-blog/extensive_verses_intensive_-_what_wouldyouu_choose) What are the parts of our green roof? There are multiple components of a green roof that contribute to the roof working properly and efficiently. The first part of a green roof is the waterproof membrane that prevents waters from leaking into the roof and also prevents roots of the plants from growing into the roof itself. This can be heavy-duty pond liner or polyvinyl chloride material. A liquid waterproofing process could also be used, which is the best option for ensuring waterproofing and root resistance. After the waterproof layer comes the drainage and storage layer. This is a perforated or dimpled plastic sheet that stores rainwater for the vegetation. This layer also assists in preventing roots from entering the waterproof membrane. A filter fabric is added next, which keeps small particles from 4 clogging the drainage system. Since the roof at the Elk River plant is already slanted, we will not need the regular drainage system that flat roofs need. The next, and most variable part of the roof is the substrate mixture. The substrate, or soil, needs to be at least 3 inches deep and it has to be lightweight. The substrate we want to use for this green roof needs to be a mixture of native soil and an organic additive, such as wood chips or sand. This mixture will ensure that the plants will have enough nutrients to stay alive for a long time in both summer and winter. The last part of the green roof is the plant and vegetation, which we will talk about next in this report. _Plants Soil Draina Insulat` n Memo Structure Layers of Green Roof: http://www.lid-stormwater.net/greenroofs_specs.htm What kind of plants do we put on our green roof? Plants on a green roof struggle with the root space available to them and drought resistance. A small amount of substrate calls for a smaller root structure, and an irregular watering schedule means the plants should be fairly drought resistant. This narrows down the options for plants for the roof. Our Elk River partners expressed interest in using native flowering plants, which narrows the field further. Native plants are somewhat problematic for green roofs as Minnesota natives often react to drought by sending their roots further into the soil. These plants would obviously run into problems on a roof with a growing medium of approximately four inches. There are some native alternatives to sedum for green roofs in Minnesota. Recent research has shown that prairie plants native to Minnesota send their roots out horizontally as opposed to vertically when in a setting similar to a green roof.3 With this in mind we can explore some native flowering plants that would work for the specific green roof we are looking at in Elk River. 5 Sedum is a common option for green roofs around the world, and is the main plant component of the roof on top of the Target Center in Minneapolis. In fact most succulents are good options for green roofs due to their drought resistance and their shallow root systems. Sedum in particular have been shown to survive up to four months without water. Temperate Minnesota has more than enough rain for a succulent like sedum. Unfortunately there is no native sedum species to Minnesota.6 Pasque flowers, or Anemone patens is a purple flowering native that gets about a half foot tall. It blooms from April to May and needs a fair amount of water. s _ f Field pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta) bloom from April to June, have small white flowers and gets about a half-foot tall. s Blue Grama Harebell, or Bouteloua curtipendula can get as tall as a foot and i is a good coverage grass that needs little �y ti J� li water.6 s Pennsylvania Sedge (Carex k` pensylvanica) is another good ground coverage plant that gets about a half foot L x:+ s tall. r: 6 Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum) has +r beautiful smokey red flowers which bloom ` April to June and reaches about a half- foot in height.6 r Although native plants are not as ideal as many succulents and need more water and maintenance (keeping in mind that succulents need almost no water), this list provides a good native alternative to our Elk River partners from the boring sedum beds. Keep in mind there are many more native plants suitable to green roof conditions, these listed are simply the plants we think would work best at Elk River. Native plants have recently begun to be grown with more success on Minnesota green roofs. In 2009 the Target Center received a green roof with 16 different species native to Minnesota prairie bluffs. The Minneapolis Library and St. Paul Fire Station Headquarters also have green roofs with native plants.2 We recommend a mix of the two; the native plants, especially the field pussytoes and the prairie smoke, with a nice "mat" cover of sedum to fill in gaps and limit water needs. Can we set up the green roof ourselves? Green roof self-installation is definitely a possibility. After the materials are obtained from a green roof supplier, the roof can be installed by people on site, ensuring that the installers are using proper safety techniques. According to The Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Act (MNOSHA), all personnel participating in roof installation must use a harness to ensure that no one falls from the roof.' The other option would be contacting contractors that could help obtain materials and install themselves. These contractors would be recommended or contracted by the green roof suppliers. Most of the people we contacted suggested using LiveRoof® for roof supplies and help with installation. LiveRoof is especially useful as they can come to the roof site and make an installation grid that fits the need of that roof, then provide their signature "trays" that they install themselves. LiveRoof claims on their website several other advantages, including: • Adds only 10-12 lbs extra weight per ft2 • Certified for green roof installation • Installation Experience • You have someone to carry the warranty 7 • Trays are guaranteed to have no spaces between them, total coverage • Plants come pre-grown, avoiding delicate, heavy maintenance growth phase • They are insured to work on rooftops and have the proper tie-off equipment- ti Photo:Liveroof trays.http://ww1.prweb.com/prfiles/2011/01/27/37071/Live Roof FuIIyGrownModules2b.jpq .i Photo: LiveRoof-lite roof. 8 What will the cost of the green roof be? The price of the green roof can vary due to the fact that the green roof can be installed manually or through a contractor. We contacted various roofing and green roof technicians in the hopes of finding a price range for the green roof supplies and installation. Most of the people we contacted suggested that we use LiveRoof®' for the supplies that are needed to install the green roof. The following pricing was provided by LiveRoof and previous installers of LiveRoof®2. The protective layer that prevents leakage is a loose lay white layer that is about 45 mm thick that costs about $0.50 per ft2. The roofing trays that cover the entire roof cost approximately $15.00 per ft2 plus $1 per ft2 for delivery. Installation of the green roof is an additional $15.00 per ft2 and is an important variable to factor in when deciding how to complete this project. This also includes that perimeter roof edge that helps with water runoff and keeping LiveRoof secure. Irrigation is an important aspect of the green roof that is necessary for the success of the green roof survival. For $2.00 per ft2, an irrigation system can be installed on top of the roof which consists of laying small hoses on the trays that water the plants equally and adequately. 1 We decided to use LiveRoof®as an example of professional green roof suppliers as a model for price and materials provided.There are other green roof suppliers that could be used as well such as Eco- Rooj@ and Columbia Green®, but for simplicity, we used LiveRoof throughout this report 2 Mike Mehring, Sales Manager of Central Roofing, Minneapolis, MN, 612-408-1400 Conversation with Mike happened on April 14th, 2016 9 Component Price Price for Elk River Comments roof (27ft by 30ft) Roofing Trays $15.00 per ft2 $12,150 This includes: LiveRoof Module (tray), Moisture Portals (areas where water can gather), LiveRoof engineered soil, LiveRoof plants Installation $15.00 per ft2 $12,150 Includes the installation of perimeter roof edge Delivery $1.00 per ft2 $810 Irrigation system $2.00 per ft2 $1,620 Small hose built into trays, this is installed by contractor, not LiveRoof Total $33 per ft2 $26,730 *It's important to remember that the area of the roof was taken using the complete roof measurements. When the green roof is actually being installed, there needs to be a space for the walk way and it needs to be built around the various mechanics on top of the roof. This won't hinder any of the processes due to the fact that the installers just need to build around these barriers. Due this decrease in material, the area and price of roof will most likely be less than estimated. The other option for installing a green roof is completing the room without the help of a contractor. This option reduces the cost of the roof by taking away the installation fees and delivery charges. Building the green roof without a contractor takes away the guarantee that the green roof will be built properly and effectively. The exact price for the do-it-yourself green roof is hard to quantify because prices can vary based on the supplier. The following prices are estimates of the materials needed to build a basic green roof taken from various sources listed in the table below. 10 Material Price Comments Source Waterproof $1,320.00 Laticrete sheet http://www.contract membrane membrane, 108 sq orsdirect.com/Laticr ft at $165.00 per roll ete-Hydro-Ban- Sheet-Membrane- Full-Roll Drainage Layer $930.00 Drainage system, http://www.bestmat 400 RB, 200 sq ft at erials.com/detail.as $186.00 a roll px?ID=21065&gclid =CNP00- nXr8wCFQhkhgod N OAJAw Filter Fabric $129.00 Nylon septic fabric http://www.homede drain guard, 4,500 pot.com/p/36-in-x- sq ft at $129.00 a 1500-ft-Nylon- roll Septic-Fabric- Drain-Guard Soil $2,430 Growing medium needs http://www.greenro to be mixed with a ofs.com/Greenroofs specific amount of 101/faqs.htm topsoil, organic matter and inorganic matter. The soil would need to be created by a green roof provider. The average price of growing medium is $3.00 per sq. ft. Plants $4,860 1 gal. Angelina http://www.homede Stonecrop Sedum pot.com/p/OnlinePi plant at $19.95 for a antCenter-1-gal- 4"x 10" plant *This Angelina- is the average price Stonecrop-Sedum- for various plants Plant- that we could use S12213/203084733 Total: $9,669 11 What kind of maintenance is required for a green roof? Although green roofs are built to be self-sustaining when installed, watering and weeding may be required when the roof shows signs of excessive drought and infestation. Both of these can be limited, however, with proper planning and cooperative weather. Plenty of ground cover ensures that weeds cannot grow and Minnesota's climate already lends itself to a somewhat reliable watering schedule. LiveRoof® plants come pre-grown and provides maximum ground coverage, limiting weed growth. A benefit of using native plants is how they're used to fluctuations in a temperate climate, meaning they'd have less trouble coping with Minnesota precipitation rates. Other maintenance would include checking on the membranes to ensure there is no water leakage and that the substrate is contained. Replanting is limited because the plants are all perennial, but death or disease could call for new plants. Any leaves that accumulate during the fall should be raked off before winter, as to prevent plant smothering. No winter maintenance is required, as the plants are perennial and can withstand winter One common mistake for certain roofs is not having a regular maintenance plan in place, resulting in the roof not being checked for months and letting any potential minor issue grow exponentially. A simple weekly/monthly check on the roof would be ideal, which would possibly be mundane due to the roof being visited for treatment-plant purposes. Can wastewater from the Elk River wastewater treatment plant be used to water the green roof? According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) water used for the irrigation of residential landscape, parks, playgrounds, school yards or golf courses cannot exceed 2.2 MPN/100 ml of Total Coliform and a 2 NTU daily average, with a maximum turbidity of 10 NTU daily. This would require extensive filtration and disinfection, something the Elk River plant is not currently equipped to do.4 The amount of water that is needed to water the area the green roof will occupy would be small, especially when considering annual rainfall and plants that are already adapted to Minnesota's climate, so the additional energy, labor and money that would be needed to treat the water to this extent would not be worthwhile. 12 Conclusion Green roofs have many benefits, from cleaner stormwater to increasing biodiversity. In Elk River specifically, not only will the roof clean the stormwater that lands on the roof, but it will also serve as an educational and demonstrative tool for the rest of the City. Sedum is often the go to plant for green roofs, but native pollinators from Minnesota are viable and have been used on other roofs in Minnesota with success. The price of the green roof is dependent on the type of green roof, the type of plants/soil and the choice of if we want a contractor to build it for us. Overall, the green roof gives many benefits to the Wastewater treatment plant and Elk River as whole including the fact that this roof will be a teaching opportunity to the community learning about sustainable options. We hope that this report gives you the ability to create a green roof that benefits the city of Elk River and hopefully this is the start of many great sustainable project to come in the future. Sources *In addition to the sources listed below, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is a wonderful place to find information on stormwater, green roofs and other related information. Gertens Greenhouses and Garden Center and Bachman's have also both been excellent resources. Both stores have extensive plant lists with detailed information about each plant and can help with other aspects of a green roof. Mike Mehring, who works for Central Roof in Minneapolis, has a lot of knowledge on this subject and would be a great source for furthering this project. 1. Cohan, Steven, Ph.D. "Green Roofs Biological-Engineered Stormwater Mitigation Systems." Green Roof Webinar Session 2. Citrix Online LLC, n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2016. <https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/5770126344743669763>. 2. Compton, J. S., and T. H. Whitlow. 2006. A Zero Discharge Green Roof System and Species Selection to Optimize Evapotranspiration and Water Retention. Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities, Boston, MA, May 11-12, 2006. 3. Getter, K.L.; Rowe, D.B. 2008. Selecting Plants for Extensive Green Roofs in the United States. Michigan State University Extension Bulletin E-3047 4. "Municipal Wastewater Reuse." Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Mar. 2010. Web. 12 Apr. 2016. <https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/wq-wwrl-01.pdf>. 5. Shah, Anup. "Why Is Biodiversity Important? Who Cares?." Global Issues. 19 Jan. 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2016. <http://www.globaIissues.org/article/170/why-is-biodiversity-important- who-cares>. 6. Snodgrass, E.C. and L.L. Snodgrass. 2006. Green Roof Plants:A Resource and Planting Guide. Timber Press. 13 7. Mike Mehring, Sales Manager of Central Roofing, Minneapolis, MN, 612-408-1400 Conversation with Mike happened on April 14th, 2016 8. European Federation of Green Roof Association. Benefits of Extensive Green Roofs. 20 Apr. 2013. Web. 4 May. 2016. 9. Center for Watershed Protection. Watershed Protection Division. Stormwater Management Guidebook. 2015. Webinar. Accessed: 5 Feb. 2016 to 5 May. 2016. 14 From: St. Thomas Students in Christian Faith and the Management Professions To: The City of Elk River Subject: A Proposal to Reduce Plastic Bag Use in the City of Elk River Introduction Plastic film bags are the cause of several problems and financial burdens on the city of Elk River. Littered bags decrease the appeal of the city, giving a dirty appearance, as well as blocking waterways and contaminating water. Elk River has therefore created the Surface Water Management group specifically for addressing water contamination caused by plastic bags, which costs the city $50,000 every year.i This proposal is aimed at decreasing the use and number of retail, thin film plastic bags within Elk River as well as encouraging other cities to see the benefits of decreasing plastic bag use. The reduction is necessary not only to benefit the finances of the city but also to promote a city and culture of sustainability; namely promoting behaviors that help the environment and build systems that will not needlessly waste away from improper use of resources. Since paper bags are also a burden on the environment, our overall goal is to move toward reusable bags. Removing plastic bags completely would benefit the environment, but it would potentially have a negative effect on businesses and consumers. We want to find a way for every stakeholder to benefit from the ordinance. Therefore, we propose a Plastic Bag Fee be imposed on all Elk River businesses and consumers. This fee will be mentioned later in the Charges and Fees' section. When researching this possible ordinance, we looked to examples of other cities and countries that have successfully banned plastic bags. Included in this proposal you will find the proposed fee and our plan to help the City of Elk River successfully execute this ordinance. Our overall goal is to reduce the number of plastic City of Elk River. (2014). Budget Summary. bags used in Elk River and to clean up the city's current pollution from plastic bags. We believe that, as home to Minnesota's largest landfill, Elk River has the duty to become an innovator implementing this ordinance. Plastic Bag History Plastic bags have become something that consumers rely on. They have become such a staple in consumer life that we may not notice what they are doing to the environment around us. Plastic bags have become omnipresent in the consumer society. Plastic bags not only are causing environmental damage to the world around us, but more specifically they are harming Elk River's environment as well. This is why we are asking the citizens of Elk River to take charge in this movement. Paying a small fee on the bags will help reduce the overall usage and clean up the pollution they have already caused. Because plastic bags have such an impact on the consumer, they are harder to ban. Consumers feel an attachment to their current shopping bags and are not willing to give them up if they do not see the purpose. That is the reason why a fee makes more sense than a ban. Consumers are more willing to change if they are given the option to choose for themselves. "Charges have a greater impact on overall reduction in carryout bag use because charges effectively incentivize changes in consumer behavior, because customers are required to make a conscious decision to purchase a bag."2 Education on the harm that plastic bags cause is the most crucial part of this proposal. We have come up with an advertising plan for Elk River in order to spread awareness. Plastic bags last forever. Approximately 100 billion plastic bags are thrown away in the U.S. every year. This amount is equivalent to dumping almost 12 million barrels of oil into the environment. Globally, we use an estimated 1 trillion plastic bags every year, and the average 2 Frank Convery et al.,The Most Popular Tax in Europe?Lessons from the Irish Plastic Bags Levy,38 ENVTL.&RESOURCE ECON. 1,2,7(2007). use time is 12 minutes. So after those 12 minutes people are done with the bag, but it continues to damage the environment after the purpose of the bag is complete. 1. Plastic bags kill marine life. Annually tens of thousands of seals, whales, birds, and turtles die because of plastic bags in the ocean. Lots of animals mistakenly take the plastic bags to be jellyfish. One study found that one in three leatherback sea turtles have plastic in their stomachs, and it is usually plastic bags. When they swallow the bags, it blocks their digestive track causing them to become buoyant and unable to dive for food. This causes them to slowly starve to death while floating on the surface of the ocean. 2. Plastic bags jam and damage sorting machines at most recycling plants. Unless you take your bags to a plastic bag-specific recycling facility, they are going to a landfill or into the ocean. Also, there is really no market for recycled plastic bags, and because of issues surrounding cleanliness and the high cost of sorting, many bags that are sent to plastic bag recycling facilities still end up in landfills. Only about 3% of plastic bags produced are ever actually recycled. 3. Producing plastic bags is also brutal on the environment. Plastic bag production requires petroleum, a non-renewable resource. Drilling for petroleum wreaks havoc on the environment, and plastic bag production uses up an estimated 8% of our oil resources. 4. The plastic company is not being truthful. Just like the tobacco industry tried to convince us all by any means necessary that cigarettes are not actually bad for your health, the plastics industry is up to the same thing. They are making claims that plastic bags are really just fine for the environment and sponsoring ads to convince people to vote against bag bans in local elections. They are funding studies that say that reusable bags are bad for our health because they found E. coli in 12% of the bags they tested. Although this is a concern, it is proven that the amount of E. coli found was not enough bacteria to make the average healthy person sick according to the NPR.3 However, they also reported that machine or hand washing kills more than 99.9% of bag bacteria. 5. Poisons from plastics are creeping up the food chain and starting to poison us. Although plastic bags never biodegrade they do break down into smaller and smaller particles until they are tiny enough to enter the food chain. These tiny particles are now outnumbering plankton 6 to 1. Inuit women have been found to have exceptionally high levels of toxins like PCB, a chemical compound used in plastic, in their breast milk because they eat more marine mammals from the top of the food chain. However Non-Inuits are not safe either; 93% of Americans over the age of six now test positive for BPA, a chemical found in plastics that is definitely not supposed to be found in humans. 3 Whitney Blair Wyckoff, "Bacteria May Grow in Reusable Grocery Bags, But Don't Fret," NPR, June 25, 2010,littp://www. lar.c r y/sectiogs/licaltli sliots/2010/06/2 5/1281 Ct> j.. . try...013ac ... tu� �...0�� ���� y 12 :g5 Proposal to Decrease Plastic Bag Use in Elk River Plastic Bag Fee: a. In order to promote the use of reusable bags there will be a fee of 20 cents per plastic bag and 25 cents per paper bag b. Fee Uses: i. 50% kept by the businesses ii. 50% to the city • Businesses keep records of how many bags they sell and how much money is made • Businesses give half to the city • This is done every quarter when quarterly taxes are due l.Purchase reusable bags to give-away • Send one to each household • Give away at community events • Have businesses hand bags out 2. Community Clean up events • Monthly clean up events • Put idea out there and generate volunteers • Identify the location or area that needs work • Get city council involved (offer public resources) • Create an outreach and fundraising plan • Time for clean up 3. Incentives Program for residents and businesses • Coupons/ save money for residents • Free bags or other items for residents • Green tax incentives and credits for businesses based on reduction of plastic or paper bag production or sold • "Grant Thornton" State and federal incentives 4. Water Quality Improvement projects • Work with ecology to conduct a study • Develop and implement a strategy on how to restore water quality • EPA approval • Come up with activities and what you need to complete the strategy • Get everyone involved 5. Demonstration projects • How to reduce plastic use • How it will make for a better lifestyle • How to get rid of plastic and paper bags properly Educational Program In order to inform the community and others of problems with plastic bags, education will be essential. Our proposal aims at initiating a cultural shift to an environmentally conscious community.4 Elk River funds a number of events encouraging and incentivizing environmentally supportive behavior since its members' behavior so directly impacts the environment. Some of these events will generate revenue to help offset their costs. These details of our proposal are explained below as follows. Community Sustainability Month Educating is a key component in the success of implementing plastic bag regulation in the Elk River area. The tax incentive will encourage businesses to practice better environmental etiquette. However, the citizens in general have neither the knowledge nor incentive to change their behavior affecting the environment, specifically 4 This is an important aspect to the proposal since"human behavior is a crucial issue related to conserving natural resources and reducing environmental impact,not only because people can directly affect their environment in a positive or negative way,but also because it is still a hard task to commit to by most people"(University of Georgia. (2012). Impacts to Public Recycling from Psychological and Technological Stimulus.Environmental Research and Education Foundation.Retrieved from http://erefdn.org/index.php/grants/fundedresearchinfo/iMacts_to public_recyclingfrom psychological_and_techn ological_stimulus/). Our team has found that previous educational incentives have worked well,especially when they dealt with local issues,as they encourage"a sense of ownership"for the members of the community(Duvall,J., &Zint,M. (2007).A review of research on the effectiveness of environmental education in promoting intergenerational learning. The Journal of Environmental Education, 38(4), 14-24.Retrieved from http://search.proguest.com.ezproU.stthomas.edu/docview/233044568?accountid=14756). in dealing with plastic bags. Elk River will fund a month-long community educational initiative to educate the community. This will be funded by a coalition between the local businesses and the local government. The Community Sustainability Month will consist of advertisements, retail plastic bag collection, educational, and awareness events. The events could include: Educational Advertisements around the city in public areas, Environmental Friendliness Day, Elementary and Middle School Environmental Learning Day, fun activities, games, and other types of educational opportunities, and possibly a trip to clean up a reservoir or wildlife area. Plastic bag collection bins During the Sustainability Month,plastic bag bins will be distributed to retailers encouraging proper plastic bag disposal. Our team is basing this strategy on the Wisconsin Wrap Recycling Action Project (Wisconsin WRAP).5 Their report found the following: i. The availability of store drop-off programs for plastic film recycling is important to consumers; 36 percent said they were more likely to choose a particular store because of the recycling program. ii. The visible presence of store recycling bins was an important means of alerting consumers (45 percent in this survey) about the ability to recycle plastic bags and film at the store. 5 WRAP was created as part of a statewide public-private partnership between the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources,the American Chemistry Council,Flexible Film Recycling Group,and GreenBlue's Sustainable Packaging Coalition(Moore Recycling Associates for the American Chemistry Council. (2016).Milwaukee(WI) 2015 WRAP campaign evaluation report.Retrieved from http://www.plasticfllnirecycling.org/pdf/2015 Milwaukee WRAP Camper Report).This program was designed to establish best practices to increase the recycling of polyethylene bags,wraps,and film through easily replicable pilot programs.Milwaukee was selected to test a public awareness campaign known as,"Wisconsin WRAP: Recycling Film Beyond Bags." iii. A collaborative approach between retailers, local governments, and recycling organizations proved necessary to effectively convey information to the public and make a substantial impact on the number of people utilizing store recycling programs. Because of its effectiveness, our team has found that distributing bins is necessary for Elk River's cause in reducing plastic bags. These bins, if bought in bulk, have little cost to Elk River. According to V,TIj ac., the starting price for a plastic waste bin known as the "Bag Buddy"is $22, and the price decreases as the number of bins purchased increases.6 The bin is a steel frame that expands with the size of bag used. A printed sign can be added to the bins for added explanation to the consumers. These bins can then be spread out around Elk River either at the businesses or at city buildings. To keep the costs even lower, local businesses may team up in buying these bins in bulk to place at their locations. Plastic bag turn-in week and day During the last week of the Community Sustainability Month,people and businesses who have already sided with the movement for a cleaner environment will have several plastic bags that need to be disposed of. Plastic bags are also easier to recycle in bulk all at once, and some companies purchase plastic bags.7 Therefore, Elk River, at the end of the month will collect and then sell the plastic bags to a company. This collection is also coupled with a competition for businesses. 6 Uline,Inc(2016).Bag buddy.Retrieved from http://www.uline.comBL_8791Bag-Buddy 7 Spivey,Angela. (2003).Plastic bags--prolific problems.Environmental Health Perspectives, 111(4),208. Retrieved from http://go.gale group.com/ps/i.do?p=EAIM&u=clic_stthomas&id=GALEIA102102851&v=21&it=r&sid=summon&u serGroup=clic_stthomas&authCount=l Community Festival To conclude the Community Sustainability Month, and also ending the plastic bag turn-in week, Elk River will host a 3-day weekend community festival. This event is the climax of the Community Sustainability Month, where the businesses who participated and notably reduced plastic bag use will be announced. The festival will also generate revenue for the city to offset some costs involved with the Sustainability Month as well as educating its members on sustainable behavior. In Store Advertising Signage in the stores has been very important for other cities and counties that have banned plastic bags or imposed fees on them. We would suggest that all retailers that use plastic bags put up signs a number of days before the ordinance takes effect. A warning period should give the consumers a fair amount of time to expect the fee, rather than being surprised at the checkout.8 The more advertisement that is done the easier the transition will be. We want the consumers to be aware of the change and know why it is happening. As for the businesses, they will also be educated in advance on what they can do to help make this ordinance successful.9 The businesses will be given an informational letter laying out the regulations being imposed and when they will take effect. Any business that does not abide by the regulations will be fined. In order to eliminate confusion for both consumers 8 This is one way to keep consumers pleased while we make the transition. Signs should be displayed very clearly and often throughout the stores.We also suggest that the retailers include this advertisement on the receipts in order to really notify consumers. Our suggestion for the advertisement is: ATTENTION ELK RIVER SHOPPERS: "Starting in a number of days,the City of Elk River will be starting a new recycling program.There will now be a fee of 20 cents on each plastic bag you use for your items.Thank you for your cooperation during this change." 9 Companies could begin saving and collecting bags much earlier in the year,which would inevitably end up in a competition for who can recycle the most bags every year.Possibly different types of tiers for different types of business:retail stores,grocery stores,and maybe small businesses under 10 employees. and businesses, we propose that this fee be implemented on all Elk River businesses that use plastic bags.10 Enforcement Enforcement is a key factor in advancing the regulations on plastic and paper bags in the city of Elk River. The first step is to create a board of directors that will oversee that the city educates the citizens as well as the businesses. This board will also be the middleman for holding the businesses accountable for turning in their bag fees in a timely manner. On the business' side, we plan to have a system that ties in with the POS systems to track the number of bags that were given out to customers and the amount of fees collected from them. Those fees will then be collected in full during their current pay periods. The board of directors will be collecting these fees then returning a portion back to the businesses. A way to keep the businesses compliant to the regulations is to have all businesses sign a compliance waiver prior to the regulation being in place. If that does not hold them accountable, then their portions will be withheld until they become compliant. For the beginning trial of the regulation, the board of directors will hold meetings with the businesses to get feedback and keep the businesses on track with their bag fees. As well as serve as a buffer between businesses and the residents of Elk River. 10 To incentivize our plan in collecting plastic bags in bins for businesses,the city of Elk River promulgates that the end of the Sustainability Month will host a plastic bag turn-in competition. The business with the most plastic bags (within its class of plastic bag usage,three tiers)will win a prize.