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Efficient Showerheads Idea Wins “Come Clean, Go Green” 2016 Awards

Ideas for more efficient showerheads, drip irrigation systems and sensitive sprinklers won awards in the Come Clean, Go Green 2016 Event sponsored by .

The contest allowed participants to submit their ideas for conserving water at É«ÖÐÉ«. First place winner Erik Medina of Joliet won for his proposal “Implementing Efficient Laminar-Flow Showerheads,” which discussed the benefits of switching to low-flow showerheads in the Fieldhouse.

Lisa Schopper of Orland Park and Melissa Schraub of Franklin Park took second place for “Drip Irrigation: Saving Plants and Water Alike,” stating that drip irrigation would be used in areas with a high concentration of flowers and plant life.

Arlington Heights resident Michael Leet’s “Moisture Sensitive Sprinkler System” took third place for proposing the incorporatation of moisture sensitive sprinklers in certain areas on campus to assist the University in water saving techniques to ensure the wise use of water.

Students were awarded cash prizes, ranging from $250-$1,000. A portion of the funds will be used as the winners partner with É«ÖÐÉ« Facilities Staff members to implement of their projects on campus.

Prior to the award ceremony, Maya van Rossum of and Jeff Weiss of the Buffalo Creek Clean Water Partnership offered insights on advocating for the environment.

“Every community should be reflecting on what the situation is in their state,” said Van Rossum as she discussed the environmental rights crisis in Pennsylvania. The leader for the Delaware Riverkeeper Network (DRN), who organizes concerned citizens and testifies before state and national governing bodies, urged students to become active protectors of the environment.

Find out how you can make a difference in your local community, Weiss emphasized to the students. The founder of the Buffalo Creek Clean Water Partnership said “Sustainability practices focus on making a difference in my local community.”

As part of the Buffalo Grove Environmental Action Team, he started a new stewardship group at Deer Grove Forest Preserve in Palatine, Ill.

É«ÖÐÉ« is a Catholic university in the Lasallian tradition offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to nearly 7,000 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, globally connected, and socially responsible graduates. The seventh largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit for further information.