EGEE 101
Energy and the Environment

Unit 3, Environmental Impacts

PrintPrint

How can we balance our energy and environmental needs?

This unit will discuss all you ever wanted to know about acid deposition, smog, ozone hole(s), regional haze, climate change, etc. We'll frame the problems at hand, identify many of the real and perceived causes, and address possible solutions and alternatives to the problems. Prominent themes in this unit are the costs and impacts of our energy use on the high quality of life we enjoy, and global political collective responsibility.

Or as Kermit (the frog, of course) likes to say "it is not easy being green!"

Smog in the city

Lesson 9, Smog

Most, if not all of us, are familiar with the problems of holes in the ozone layer, smog (which is ground level ozone), and regional haze (related to particulates in the air). We've all witnessed these forms of air pollution in one way or the other, and some of us are directly affected by them.

In this lesson, we'll delve into these issues, the facts, and myths associated with them, and the strategies for mitigating these emissions problems (reducing pollution).

Dr. Matthews with the lion shrine

Lesson 10, Acid Deposition

Most of us know this topic by what the media calls it - "Acid Rain". But rain is only one way that polluting emissions reach the ground.

This lesson is a look into the causes, impacts, and emission reduction strategies for sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, the two main emission-based pollutants. This topic is heavily tied to the lessons on electricity generation (L02/03) and transportation (L04).

An island in a body of water

Lesson 11, Climate Change — Causes and Impacts

Another fine example of media misrepresentation - they refer to Climate Change, incorrectly, as "Global Warming". This lesson will help erase the confusion by exploring the possible causes to climate change, and its many, many impacts (melting ice caps, sea level rise, etc. etc.).

We'll look into ways to slow the rate of climate change down by reducing the emissions of many contributing gasses, and also explore the topic through the watchful eyes of the international community.

Lesson 12, Climate Change — Solutions

We'll look into ways to slow the rate of climate change down by fuel switching, conservation, efficiency gains, and other approaches to reducing the emissions of the greenhouse gasses.

Lesson 13, The Energy Future

What lies ahead?