Environmental Awareness Spotlight: Aarushi Wadhwa & Aqua-Pods

As a part of the Sharks Foundation Environmental Awareness Month, the Sharks are excited to spotlight Aarushi Wadhwa, a local senior from Westmont High School and her product, Aqua-Pods! Aarushi was the recipient of the
2022 Sharks BAASST presented by Chegg
scholarship of $5,000 for her outstanding efforts both inside and outside the classroom as it relates to women in STEM and environmental awareness.

While in middle school, Aarushi recalled that California was in one of the most persistent droughts in the state's history. The slogan "Brown is the New Green" was consistently visible throughout her neighborhood, encouraging individuals to water their plants and/or grass less frequently in order to help ease the drought. However, Aarushi wasn't ready to accept that California could not have flourishing green plants so, she went to work. Aarushi identified the largest area of water consumption and brainstormed potential solutions until she came up with
Aqua-Pods
.

A 100% plant based biodegradable sponge, Aqua-Pods contain a proprietary blend of natural ingredients like coffee grounds, potatoes, and banana peels. The sponges are placed in potted plants where they soak up the excess water, and when the plant needs water, the Aqua-Pods release the previously absorbed water (now infused with nutrients) back to the plant using the scientific phenomena of diffusion and osmosis. After 6 week-long experiments over different seasons, the soil with Aqua-Pods proved to hold 130% higher moisture content compared to normal soil and held a higher soil fertility index.

When reflecting on one of her main mentors throughout the process of creating Aqua-Pods, Aarushi noted, "I am grateful to have received a lot of support throughout the process of creating and scaling Aqua-Pods globally. Aqua-Pods would not be a success without Ms. Julie Reynolds-Grabbe, a University of California Master Gardener of Santa Clara County, who served as a primary mentor throughout the brainstorming and testing stages."
There are currently around 100 Aqua-Pods in use throughout the world including California, India, and Kenya. In addition to the physical impact of Aqua-Pods, Aarushi strives to continue the education side of environmental awareness through various outreach events and platforms where her and her team have educated over 5,000 individuals about the water crisis and food insecurity.