How 3 Kids are Creating the Next Great Green Inventions...PBS KIDS GO!’s Design Squad Announces Winners of the 2010 Trash to Treasure Competition

Considering the number of you who were interested in the post I did about the Eco-competition for kids, I wanted to give an update.  PBS KIDS GO!’s Emmy and Peabody Award-winning series Design Squad has announced the 3 winners of the 2010 Trash to Treasure competition.  You might remember that the Eco-competition challenged kids who were aged 5-19 to spend their summer vacation recycling, reusing, and re-engineering everyday materials to create the next great green invention.

After the folks at PBS sorted through hundreds of entries, three young innovators won a trip to Boston to see their designs built by the award-winning design consultancy Continuum.  Lilly, 12, and MaryAnn, 14, sisters from Ava, New York, and Daniel, 14, from Franklin Lakes, New Jersey designed ways to recycle, reuse and re-engineer everyday materials into new inventions: “The Smarter Toilet” (a water saving device); "Sibling Soaker" (a homemade dunk tank); and “MiBike” (a bike that holds a backpack and protects a kid from rain and snow).

All three winners flew to Boston Columbus Day weekend and worked side-by-side with Continuum designers, strategists and engineers, led by Experiential Modeling Manager Richard Ciccarelli. Over the weekend, the process of transforming a DIY design to world-class prototype was filmed for a 30-minute episode of a new Design Squad series which will early in 2011.  How cool is that?  Well it got even better for MaryAnn and her "Smarter Toilet".

MaryAnn and her “Smarter Toilet” design were honored at the White House  as part of President Obama’s Science Fair. MaryAnn actualy got to shake President Obama's hand, showed him her design, and even got him to sign her note excusing her from school!  Now I feel really guilty for not sending in my 10 year old's idea for creating a recyled and recylable silly band jewelry set.  Sorry Lou Lou.  There is always next year right?

P.S.- I am really glad that you stopped by our Environmental Booty Blog and I hope you have learned or shared a thing or two.  I hope that , now that you've found us,  you won't lose us!  You can join our green living online community, subscribe to our posts,  download our community toolbar, Tweet with me on Twitter or Come Shop with Me to stay in touch!  - Shane :)