V.

Product Description
A. The Elemensis

Fig. 1 Product used to collect evapotranspiration data

Consumption of plastic bottles for packaging is increasing globally, with the number expected
to reach around 227 million this year. Most of these bottles are made from fossil fuels,
especially petroleum. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is the fastest growing category of the
bottles being produced. Plastic bottles present several problems to developed and developing
economies. These include high greenhouse gas emissions during production and incineration,
the physical pollution of oceanic waters and health complications that result from burning them.
While a lot has been done in regard to recycling plastic bottles over the past few decades - the
majority are still not recycled. Much remains to be done. The plastic bottle remains an
economical fit replacement for glass bottles. In fact, recycling a PET bottle is better, in regard
to greenhouse gas emissions, than producing a new one or burning an existing bottle. Hence,
Elemensis is a product which not only embraces the environment but also a device that can be
used to measure the rate evapotranspiration and produces clean water.
Elemensis is a product that consist of different elements which include Earth, water,
fire and wood. Earth in the sense that there is the presence of soil for the plant to root and water
for the plant to obtain nutrient and undergo transpiration. While for the element fire, it may
seem absurd, but plants need sunlight to carry out photosynthesis and the element wood is
present as the plant itself. The Elemensis consist of a few layers of elements. Starting with
colourful stones, then aggregates, followed by pebbles, soil and lastly the plant itself. The
layers are being hold by a used plastic bottle.
The Elemensis function in a way that when the plant is watered the water will be filtered
through the soil and the different sizes of aggregates. This not only provide clean water from
the filtration but also allows the plant to absorb nutrients from the soil. When the plants undergo
evapotranspiration, the vapour produced from the process will condense and turns in water
vapour which is also another source of clean water. The owner only have to water the plants in
the early morning and late evening where the sunlight is not bright enough for the
photosynthesis to be carried out. This is because transpiration of plants occurs chiefly at the
leaves while their stomata are open for the passage of carbon dioxide (CO2 and O2) during
photosynthesis. Besides, evaporation of water from the soil also occurs where sunlight is
presence. Hence, the water accumulated at the wall of the plastic bottle will dripped off back
to the soil and plant in a cycle.
The Elemensis can be innovatively turned into interior decorations where our product
can bring aesthetic values to your living spaces. Recently, an article in Miller-McCune caught
my attention. It mentioned several research studies related to the positive impact of nature on
the human condition. Having plants, going for a walk in the park, or even looking at a
landscape poster could produce psychological benefits, reduce stress, and improve
concentration. Here are some design that can be implemented to raise the aesthetic value of
your living spaces.

Fig. 2 Window farm.

Fig 3. Plastic bottles on walls.

Fig. 4 Plastic bottle tower garden

 Fig. 5 Pyramid plastic bottle garden.
B. The rate of evapotranspiration
From the hydrologic budget;
∆S = P- R- G- ET
where;
∆S= Change in storage in a specified time period. (m3)
P= Precipitation (mm)
R= Surface runoff (m/s)
G= Groundwater flow(m3/s)
ET= Evapotranspiration (mm/day)
For our device, there is no precipitation as the plant was watered for the first day only. The
plant was kept in open area but when rain arrived, we need to bring the plant in. There was no
surface runoff as well since the water can only be flowed in the cross-sectional area of the
plastic bottle (confined situation). Since the plant is planted in the bottle, groundwater does not
exist. The calculation for the rate of evapotranspiration for each plants can be referred based
on the table below,
 I. Calculation for average rate of evapotranspiration.
Date 27th 28th Difference Area ET
Time November November = ET
13.12 pm 13.05 pm
(grams) (cm3/day) (cm2) (x 10-3
cm/day)
Plant 1 1033.11 1029.32 3.79 62.21 60.92
Plant 2 1138.28 1133.63 4.65 46.57 99.85
Plant 3 1032.17 1028.33 3.84 49.02 78.34
Plant 4 1019.27 1014.71 4.56 47.78 95.44
Plant 5 1158.71 1153.58 5.13 44.18 116.12
Plant 6 1280.36 1273.01 7.35 59.45 123.63
Average 95.72

 1 gram of water is about 1 cm3

 Divide (cm3/day) by respective area to get ET/day in cm depth
II. Different species and height of plants.

Plan Diameter
Species and cultivar Description Height(cm)
t (cm)
1 Rosette Succulent Succulent 2.65 8.9
Golden Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus
2 Succulent 4.55 7.7
grusonii Plant)
3 Euphorbia tithymaloides Perennial 12.3 7.9

4 Alocasia Amazonica Leafy 14.6 7.8

5 Nepenthes (pitcher plant) Carnivorous 9.5 7.5

6 Sansevieria trifasciata upright 11.8 8.7

From the data obtained, we can conclude that the highest plant undergoes the highest rate of
evapotranspiration which is plant 6 with the rate of evapotranspiration of 123.63 x 10-3 cm/day.
The lowest ET recorded was from plant 1 recording a rate of 60.92 x 10-3 cm/day. The result
was expected as the surface area of leaf for plant 6 was the largest compared to the others.
When it had the highest surface area of leaves, more water was lost from the surface of the leaf
giving it the highest rate of ET as the stomata are located at the surface of leaves. There are
many factors that lead to the differences of rate in evapotranspiration of the plants, one of it is
the type of species of the plants. Different species have their difference in metabolism rate in
plants.
From these data, we can actually plan the irrigation of water for plants or even crops.
If the research is done on a larger and detailed scale, we can estimate the amount of water
needed to supply for a plantation in order to provide an optimum amount of water for the plants
to grow healthily. Design and operation of irrigation and water management systems can be
done through this simple device for farmers of a smaller scale. This device bring many benefits
to the society not only for the residents but also farmers.