I’m applying for a social art grant, and am going to need some assistance. I would like to create some beacons that can be placed in our water way and tracked to the gulf of Mexico. I want to show that plastics on our environment can reach the ocean in X amount of time. My budget is about $3000, if I get the grant but could be more depending on the cost. The project would need to be complete by Febuary 2020 as the grant report is due in June 2020. Giving me enough time to track the beacons and report my finding with an art installation. If you’re interested please provide cost to build 5 beacons by May 1st.
If you got past Kaw, wouldn’t you get caught up at manniford?
There are actually 5 reservoirs between here and the gulf on the Arkansas. The dams would definitely stop floating beacons.
And looking at the map i couldn’t find a single river around here that doesn’t eventually feed into the Arkansas. Which kind of blew me away.
I’d start with something like this add solar to charge it on its Journey. Perhaps if you made it barely buoyant it would get sucked through the spillway. Would be interesting to release them in different spots and see where they end up.
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What I was thinking was some kind of buoyant sphere. I guess part of my research would be contacting each lake governing body to see what their requirements are. Part of my intent is to follow them to the gulf and part of the funds will go to that. I’ve already submitted for first round consideration in a $50,000 grant, they only required the essence of the idea, and have stages you go through or rounds. The second grant due June 1st is asking for a budget and is $20,000 is for environmental art.
It would be cool to do it, I just don’t think there’s a way to get through the dam gates. Attaching a line to a non buoyant piece might get sucked through, but the line would undoubtedly get caught up and tangled on something before it made it out of Wichita.
And I don’t know how deep the dam gates are.
The cheap way would be to build it inside a screw-top soda bottle, either a 2 liter or smaller one. Peel the label off, and it is clear for sunlight to get in and LED light or whatever to get out. Room for a note inside explaining the project, and cheap enough to make a whole slew of them on that kind of budget. You could even put a cellular module in it so it could report its position regularly.
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So someone could find it and chuck it back in the river on the opposite side of the damn.
Of course depending on how many you make, you’re kind of littering, a lot… took make the point of not littering.
That’s why you call it a Science Experiment :)
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Unless you are Dale Chihuly
I found the following in a Quick search. I will definately be reaching out to the Army Corps of Engineers. I may just have to track it within our environment. I’m still in the early stages of thinking through this. Thanks for the tips and ideas, and please keep them coming =) This can’t be a solo project.
http://www.teledynemarine.com/flotation-glass-spheres?ProductLineID=44