April Environmental Science League

Hydropower

This renewable’s advantages are high net energy yield, low cost electricity, long life span, no carbon dioxide emissions during operation, flood control below damn, water for irrigation, and reservoir development.

Biomass

This renewable’s advantages include large potential supplies, moderate costs, low net carbon increase, and use of agricultural, timber, and urban wastes.

Geothermal

This renewable’s advantages include very high efficiency, low carbon dioxide emissions, low land use, small land disturbance, and moderate environmental impact. The energy supplied is constant. However, disadvantages include scarcity of suitable sites, moderate to high air pollution when greenhouse gases are released from the ground, noise and odor, and high cost of drilling and instillation.

Solar

This renewable’s advantages are reduction of air pollution, reduction of dependence on oil, and low land use. Disadvantages include production of components results in release of toxic chemicals, life of the systems is currently short, need backup systems in event of bad weather, and high cost.

Wind

This renewable’s advantages are high net energy yield and efficiency, low cost and environmental impact, no carbon dioxide emissions, and quick construction but disadvantages include the need for backup systems, visual and noise pollution, interfering with bird migrations.

UV-c

Ultraviolet light with high energy that is effective in disinfecting surfaces and air by destroying the genetic material of microorganisms.

UV-b

Ultraviolet light that is harmful to living organisms, causing DNA damage and skin cancer. The ozone layer partially absorbs it.

UV-a

Ultraviolet radiation that penetrates deep into the skin, causing premature aging and increasing the risk of skin cancer.

CFCs and HCFCs

Chemicals used in refrigerants and aerosol propellants. CFCs deplete the ozone layer, while HCFCs have less impact but still contribute to ozone depletion.

The greenhouse effect

The process where gases trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, leading to global warming and climate change.

GWP (Global warming potential)

A way to compare emissions in order to analyze the best steps to take to reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses.

Albedo

The measure of the reflectivity of a surface, indicating how much sunlight is reflected into space.

Melting permafrost

The thawing of frozen soil in Arctic regions due to climate change, releases greenhouse gases like methane, exacerbating global warming.

Ocean warming

The increase in the temperature of the Earth's oceans due to human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, leading to detrimental impacts on marine ecosystems and weather patterns.

Coral bleaching

The phenomenon where corals expel algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn white and potentially die.

Ocean acidification

The ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Biodiversity

The variety of life forms in a particular habitat or ecosystem, including species diversity, genetic diversity, and ecosystem diversity.

Wood

Material derived from trees used as a source of fuel for heating or cooking.

Peat

The accumulation of partially decayed organic matter found in wetlands. It is used as a fuel source due to its high carbon content.

Coal

Formed from decayed plant matter in waterlogged conditions, used for heating and electricity generation due to its high carbon content.

Oil

A fossil fuel formed from the remains of ancient marine organisms. It is a non-renewable energy source used for transportation, heating, and electricity generation.

Natural gas

A fossil fuel primarily composed of methane. It is a clean-burning energy source used for heating, cooking, and electricity generation.