Week 3

Today

• Quiz• Collect papers and give back graded ones• Go over EnvironNews Topics• Planet earth – pole to pole (58 minutes)

BREAK• Resources PowerPoint

Fossil Fuels

Chapter 11

Energy Use

Energy Consumption

• Energy consumption in the US

Fossil Fuels

E4 fig. 10.3

Fossil Fuels are Non-Renewable

How Fossil Fuels Form

• formed by the effects of heat and pressure on non-decomposed organic matter over thousands of years

• Includes:– Coal– Natural gas– Petroleum

Environmental Impact of Coal

• Coal is a mixture of C, N, H, O and S

• The type of coal determines the proportions

• When coal is burned, the elements get released into the air causing pollution, global warming and acid rain

• Even the process of getting the coal can destroy the environment

Strip mining occurs on the land’s surface and causes unstable land

• Both surface and subsurface mining allows previously trapped acids in soil to escape

• Acid mixes with topsoil and drainage, runs into water table

• In 1977, Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act forced mines to correct the problem and limited areas where coal could be mined

Environmental Impacts of Oil and Natural Gas

• Production– Land disturbance

• Transport– Oil spills

• Combustion of oil– Increased CO2 emissions increases global warming

– Acid deposition (mostly N oxides)

• Combustion of natural gas– Less CO2 emissions but still not 100% clean

– No Sulfur– Low particulate matter

(cleanest burning fossil fuel)

Activity

• Watch and discuss “The Story of Stuff”

Discussion

• Use the four objectives on pages 248 through 250 and discuss the pros and cons of each strategy

• Use Worksheet Provided

The U.S. Energy Strategy1. Efficiency & conservation

- Energy highly subsidized: price at pump ≠ true cost

- Rationale: lower prices stimulate economic growth

- Eliminate subsidies to force conservation

2. Secure future fossil fuel energy supplies

- Domestic production as short-term solution

- World supply will run out

3. Alternative energy sources - R&D for renewable sources: solar, wind

- Funded by 50 cent tax per gasoline?

4. No further damage to the environment - Reclaim damage done by domestic production - Funded by tax on domestic oil?

Nuclear Energy

Chapter 12

Different Types of Nuclear Energy: Fusion

• Combining of the nuclei of atoms• This fuels the sun• Alternative energy source

Different Types of Nuclear Energy: Fission

• Most power plants use this

How it works

Discussion

• What are the pros and cons of nuclear energy?

Environmental Impact of Nuclear Energy

• Possibility of meltdown

• Radioactive waste– Yucca Mountain and transport to it

Renewable Energy and

Conservation

Chapter 13

Solar Energy

• Passive – heat builds up naturally

• Active– Solar thermal electric generation (uses mirrors

to heat oil, then uses steam for power)– Photovoltaic cells (sun’s energy makes

electricity directly – cannot be stored)– Solar generated hydrogen (can be stored)

Wind Energy

• Wind is caused by uneven heating of the earth’s surface

• Wind turns turbines which then generates electricity

Hydropower

• Most efficient

• Potential energy of water behind dams is converted to kinetic energy when water is released

• Water turns turbines which creates electricity

• Most common is dams but there is also wave energy

Geothermal Energy

• Energy from within the earth that is trapped in hydrothermal reservoirs

• Research is being done on how to extract energy from hot dry rocks

Biomass Energy

• Burned to release the energy within

ex. Wood, plants, corn, animal waste

Activity

• Watch John Stossal “Ethanol”

Costs

Answer the following on a separate piece of paper

•List 3 renewable resources and give a pro and con of each

• List 3 non-renewable resources and give a pro and con of each

• Do you think that there will be a move to renewable resources sometime within this century – why or why not

• Why do you think we have not gone to renewable resources yet?

Due Next Week

IndividualRead Chapters 17, 20, 21, 22, and 25

Value of Maintaining Natural Ecosystems: Preservation vs. Conservation Paper

(instructions on page 11 of syllabus)

TeamLifestyle and Sustainability Project Rough Draft

Critical Essay Discussions (environNews)

Resources pros and cons