Portland State University’s Cleantech Challenge, geared toward cleantech innovators from Universities across Oregon, is an annual prototyping competition focused on products, processes, and services that have a positive impact on the environment. This includes generation, conservation, reduction of resource waste, and pollution mitigation. The competition is open to undergraduates, graduates, postdocs, and faculty and has a total prize pool of $40,000.
This year, the competition consisted of 6 projects; Cycle Charge, Pomona, Fungivores, Precision Organics, Community Recycling Park, and Copiosus. Each team is made up of a unique set of individuals intent on merging sustainability and innovation.
Cycle Charge
Deepshay Ray, Samantha Leyva Lopez, and Garrin Laird focused their project on a way to make alternative transportation more appealing. To do so, they came up with Cycle Charge, a bicycle gadget used to charge eclectic devices by utilizing kinetic motion. This product helps those commuting by bicycle to keep their devices charged for directions, communication, and other essential needs.
Pomona
Pomona, conceptualized by Faith Diwirja, Hamdia Ibrahim, Aditi Kumari and Thet Swe, came up with a platform people can come to for sustainability support and resources. It’s a one step platform reducing the stress of searching for relevant information on sustainability. Users can find consolidated information about vegan and sustainable restaurants, household products, and food recipes.
“Our mission is to work for a sustainable future. We want to help people move towards healthy eating, environmentally friendly products, and reducing carbon emissions,” Kumari said.
Fungivores and Precision Organics
Two groups made use of mycelium - the vegetative part of fungi - to construct more environmentally friendly materials. Fungivores, headed by Nancy Barakat Adams and Sarah Almuhanna, did so with a focus on biodegradable furniture. Tylin Burton and Chris Larson’s Precision Organics worked to make a material that would replace styrofoam packaging. Both teams were interested in the ways in which mycelium can mimic plastic in a more sustainable manner.
“We want to replace conventional material with green material and replace negative impacts on the environment with positive ones,” Barakat Adams, member of Fungivores, said.
The Community Recycling Park
The Community Recycling Park, created by Tabassum Kalam Khandoker, acts as a recycling center, a community learning space, and a retail space for materials that can be used multiple times. Khandoker’s goal was to create a space where people are not only encouraged to recycle but to learn as well.
“My desire is to propose a solution that can be helpful to our material system and serve our community. I see it as a contribution to the betterment of society.”
Copiosus
Leo Garcia, Amanda Mays and Reed Le worked on Copiosus, a project that explores a new kind of irrigation system. It utilizes fish and the useful nitrates they leave behind. These nitrates are pumped to flower beds which take in these nutrients and grow at remarkable rates. Clean water is then filtered back to the original point, creating a no-waste, reciprocal relationship between the fish and the plants.
Together, these projects explore alternate use of resources, vegan living, recycling, and fungi as a biodegradable material in a way that promotes a more conscientious and resourceful way of living.
“I think it is extremely important that if you have the privilege and ability to do something for the environment, it's almost a requirement of being human right now in our day and age to do it,” Burton, team member of Precision Organics said.