Past Projects

B.E.A.N.S-Building Environmentally Aware Nutrition Systems

Partnering with Southside Family Farms, EWB worked to create an open-air market, cold storage system, wash-and-pack station, and a series of sustainable agriculture systems. These projects worked to help food insecurity in the south side of Columbus, providing more affordable and nutritious foods to the community. This project started in 2023 and was postponed for the 2025-2026 school year while new projects are determined and organized.

Franklin County Dog Shelter

During the academic year 2022-2023, EWB worked with the Franklin County Dog Shelter (FCDS) to create an enrichment area for over 100 adoptable dogs. The area needed to be stimulating for the dogs while also getting them used to new textures and objects. The final implementation in the fall of 2023 included puzzles, a ramp, and other fun activities for the shelter dogs to enjoy.

Grow With the Flow

Starting in Autumn 2021, EWB partnered with a local tree nursery in Weinland Park run by Friends of the Lower Olentangy River (FLOW). In addition to the nursery, we helped to improve the rainwater collection system and we developed a manual water pump for the garden that is powered by a bicycle. The final implementation happened in January of 2023.

CHA Animal Shelter Moveable Fences

The CHA Animal Shelter requested moveable and rearrangeable fences to section off the dog play area at the shelter. The ARF committee designed, prototyped, and tested modular fences. The final design was completed and implemented in April of 2021.

TREES: Green Columbus Irrigation

The TREES committee worked on expanding the Linden and Hilltop tree nurseries. This involved installing drip lines and planting seedlings at the nurseries with Green Columbus, a local nonprofit. This effort doubled the nursery capacity between both lots. The trees being grown at these nurseries are donated by Green Columbus to areas with historically low tree populations. Additionally, the committee drafted manuals for creating one’s own tree nursery and distributed them to local schools.

Bat Houses with FLOW

We worked with the Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed (FLOW) to put up two bat houses at a local Columbus park. Our goal was to come up with a plan for a cement base and support for the house. The bat houses will benefit the ecosystem in the area and help to control mosquito and insect populations.

Buckeye Precious Plastics Bulk Bag Process

EWB-OSU partnered with Buckeye Precious Plastics to design a simple process for creating bulk bags by upcycling single-use grocery bags. Our members created 2 bulk bags by ironing and sewing together hundreds of plastic bags. The committee also assembled a quick how-to guide on creating these bulk bags. The 2 bags created are used on campus in places like Baker Systems to collect plastic bottle caps for recycling and upcycling.