Officials at the University of Minnesota Duluth have found a solution to campus soil erosion caused by students cutting sidewalk corners.

Permeable pavement allows for natural water filtration but prevents erosion at common footpath shortcuts.

Builders are using this method in several Minneapolis locations, according to links on a mashup detailing low-impact developments.

The mashup was developed for the National Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials Network, a nexus of sustainable land use educators.

It highlights building projects by the network’s 32 member programs. Minnesota is the only state in the Great Lakes with projects mapped out so far. Members of the network plan on adding new balloons, which contain details about the project, to the mashup as they become available.

Low-impact development is a new approach to building that focuses on sustainable design while maintaining the integrity of natural systems. Developments include rain gardens and other landscape elements that filter surface runoff water.

Win a prize if you’re the first to suggest or create a Great Lakes mashup used on Echo’s Monday Mashup. What’s the prize? Well, it’s not a Great Lakes cruise.  But we’ve got stress balls shaped like polar bears and bats (stress bats?), pocket knives, mini-backpacks, flashlights, water bottles and other items of similar fine value lying around the Echo Chamber. We’ll send you something AND publicly acknowledge your contribution in MONDAY MASHUP.

Send it to Monday Mashups editor Rachael Gleason at GreatLakesEcho@gmail.com.