University of North Texas Storm Drain Design Contest Announces Winners

The University of North Texas announced the winners of the Sustainability Storm Drain Design competition and the first of three storm water drain murals has been completed. The competition challenged students to create art designs for campus storm water drains that raise environmental awareness for storm water drain protection and cigarette litter. Each of the three artists received $250 through the We Mean Green Fund for the storm drain paintings.

“There are ‘hot spots’ all around campus where cigarette butts and litter gathers,” said Dean of Students Maureen McGuinness. “Storm drains carry our runoff, untreated directly to creeks that lead to the lakes that provide our water.”

Freshman Chloe Trent, studying communication design, painted the first mural April 18 near Curry Hall on Mulberry Street, according to the North Texas Daily. Trent’s design features two octopi circling the storm water drain opening, similar to the Pisces symbol with two fish. The design also incorporates yellow fish, jellyfish and seaweed, and is meant to mimic an aquatic ecosystem, reminding students where the pollution ends up.