Unit 3: Investigating Environmental Issues

Biofuels like ethanol might help fight climate change. But they can contribute to food insecurity and greenhouse gases in ways that might surprise you.

Could we use radio waves to charge electrical technologies in the future?

The fracking process gets natural gases out of rocks. This process can have effects on freshwater, water quality and even earthquakes!

Electricity demand changes constantly. Suppliers need to generate more electrical energy when demand is high, and less when demand is low.

Can your body be a source of electricity generation? Maybe, if you understand heat transfer. Explore this concept through a 2013 invention by a Canadian teen.

Using the heat of the Earth’s interior, you can heat your home with a ground source heat pump. This kind of heating is cheaper and better for the environment!

How will arctic ice melt from climate change affect exploration, scientific research and geopolitics?

In a few decades, some of the electricity you use might be generated by bacteria.

Hydrogen’s tendency towards combustion is what makes it both a dangerous chemical element and a useful energy source.

When a species ends up outside of its natural zone, the consequences on other species, ecosystems and human industries can be severe. Climate change and human activities can introduce species into new zones.

Aquaculture is seen as a sustainable way to produce fish. But are farmed salmon better than wild fish?

4 images of some fish such as koi that live in freshwater river and lake environments and in freshwater aquariums and garden ponds

14 images of some fish such as lion fish, grouper and sharks that live in saltwater environments like oceans, saltwater lakes and aquariums

Green walls use plant processes to improve air quality in buildings.

Arctic animals have evolved to thrive in harsh arctic ecosystems, but the environmental footprint created by climate change is affecting their survival.