Introduction to
Environmental Science
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Objectives
1. To identify various sources
of renewable and
nonrenewable energies
2. To understand the basics of
alternative fuels
3. To recognize the
importance of recycling
goods
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Energy
• Energy is the ability
to do work or
vigorous activity
• Two types of energy
exist
– kinetic – energy in
motion
– potential – stored
energy
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Energy
• There are two categories for energy
sources:
– renewable
– nonrenewable – energy being rapidly
used but not easily recreated
• Energy can neither be created nor
destroyed
• Energy can change form
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Renewable Energy Sources
Biomass Energy
• Biomass is organic material
which has stored sunlight
in the form of chemical
energy
• Biomass fuels are made
from natural, renewable
sources including wood,
agricultural waste and
garbage
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Renewable Energy Sources
Geothermal energy
• Derived from earth’s core
• Eliminates pollution produced with use
of fossil fuels
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Renewable
Energy
Sources
Hydropower
•
•
•
•
Energy from moving water
Most often used
Almost free, has no waste products or pollutants
Affects natural habitats and changes
environments
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Renewable Energy Sources
Solar
• Energy converted from the sun into thermal or
electrical energy
• Drawbacks include large amount of needed
space and matter in which the energy reaches
the earth’s surface
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Renewable Energy Sources
Wind
• Used to generate mechanical power or
electricity
• Wind turbines convert wind’s kinetic energy
into usable forms of energy
• Wind turbines cause no pollution, but can be
very noisy
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Nonrenewable Energy Sources
Nuclear
• Derived from atoms
• Process of producing nuclear energy includes
splitting of uranium atoms
• Disadvantages include production of
radioactive waste
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Nonrenewable Energy Sources
Fossil Fuels
• Formed over millions and millions of years by
action of heat from the Earth’s core and
pressure from rock and soil on the remains of
dead plants and animals
• These sources include oil, natural gas and
coal
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Fossil Fuels
Coal
• Used to generate
more than 50% of
all electricity
produced in U.S.
• When burned, coal
emits pollutants
into the air
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Fossil Fuels
Oil
• Every year the U.S.
produces less oil
• Every year the demand for
oil increases
• When burned, oil emits
carbon dioxide into the air
• Drilling for oil also has
negative effects on the
environment
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Fossil Fuels
Natural Gas
• More than 50% of U.S. homes
are heated by natural gas
• Advantages:
– produces relatively few
pollutants
– has fewer emissions than
coal or oil
• Has very little ash emission
after burning
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Conservation of Energy
What are
alternative
fuels?
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Alternative Fuels
• Alternative fuels can be used in place of
gasoline and diesel fuels made from
petroleum
• According to the Department of Energy, the
following are classified as alternative fuels:
– biodiesel, electricity, ethanol, hydrogen,
methanol, natural gas, propane, p-series,
solar energy
• Using alternative fuels can help reduce U.S.
dependence on imported petroleum and
improve air quality
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Alternative Fuels
Biodiesel
Diesel
• Diesel-replacement fuel
• Made from natural,
renewable sources such
as new and used
vegetable oils and animal
fats
• Cleaner source of diesel
fuels
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Alternative Fuels
Electricity
• Mechanical power can be derived directly from
electricity instead of through combustion
• Advantages:
– no emissions
– no pollution
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Alternative
Fuels
Ethanol
• Alcohol-based alternative fuel
• Produced by fermenting and distilling starch
crops (barley and wheat) which have been
converted into simple sugars
• Used in transportation market
• Advantages:
– reduces dependence on foreign oil
– reduces air pollution
– renewable fuel
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Alternative Fuels
Hydrogen
• H2
• Can be produced in nearly
unlimited quantities
• Renewable
• Emits no toxins or
pollutants
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Alternative Fuels
Methanol
• Wood-alcohol fuel
• Similar to ethanol in chemical
structure
• As Fuel Cell Technology advances,
Electric Vehicles will improve
• Will become an important carrier of
hydrogen in fuel cells
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Alternative Fuels
Natural Gas
• Mixture of hydrocarbons
• Produced from gas wells or in
conjunction with crude oil
production
• Clean burning and produces fewer
harmful emissions than gasoline
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Alternative Fuels
Propane
• Liquefied petroleum gas
• Readily available to the general
public and produces fewer
vehicle emissions than gasoline
• Produced as a by-product of
crude oil refining and natural gas
processing
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Alternative Fuels
P-Series
• This fuel is an assortment of natural gas
liquids, ethanol and a biomass-derived cosolvent (MTHF)
• Made mostly from renewable resources
• Most elements are domestically-produced
renewable products
• Benefits include:
– energy security
– cleaner environment
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Alternative
Fuels
Solar Energy
• Electricity derived
from the sun
• 100% renewable
• No emissions
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Recycling Facts
• On average, 4.4 pounds of waste are produced
per day per person
• Americans will throw away 600 times his or her
adult weight in garbage in a lifetime
• Each adult will leave a legacy of 90,000 pounds
of trash for his/her children
• Every Sunday, the United States wastes about
90% of our recyclable newspapers
• This wastes about 500,000 trees
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Answers
• Do your research!
– surf the net and learn about your
community’s recycling program
– call and find locations and details of
recycling in your town
– recycling is easier than you think
• Educate yourself!
– learn which products can and cannot be
recycled
– separate your garbage to make recycling
easier
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Commonly Recycled Materials
Plastic
• Most are recyclable
• The industry has developed a
code system to identify
various types of plastics
• Codes may be found at the
bottom of plastic containers
• Types 1 & 2 are most
common found in container
form
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Commonly Recycled Materials
Glass
• Glass bottles must not be mixed
with other types of glass, such as:
– window glass
– light bulbs
– mirrors
– Pyrex®
– auto glass
• Broken glass is very difficult to
sort
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Commonly Recycled Materials
Aluminum cans and foil
• Empty cans and rinse out to
eliminate odors
• Separate from other
containers
• Some recycling centers
accept aluminum foil
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Commonly Recycled Materials
Paper
• Recyclable paper includes:
– newspaper, phone books, mixed paper,
office paper and junk mail can be
recycled if sorted properly
• Non-recyclable papers include:
– waxed paper, waxed cardboard milk and
juice containers, oil soaked paper,
carbon paper, sanitary products or
tissues, stickers and plastic laminated
paper such as pet food bags and fast
food wrappers
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Commonly Recycled Materials
Motor Oil
• Used motor oil is considered
hazardous waste because it contains
heavy metals and other toxic
substances
• Dangerous to humans and
environment if not disposed of
properly
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Things You Can Do. . .
• Use products with highly
recycled content
• Use a canvas bag or
backpack at the store rather
than plastic or paper bags
• Three R’s:
– reduce the amount of
packaging you buy
– reuse what packaging you can
– recycle what you cannot reuse
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Environmental Science Assessment
1. _____ is the ability to do work or vigorous
activity.
A. Biomass
C. Kinetic
B. Energy
D. Potential
2. Which is the main drawback of using solar
energy?
A. Harmful emissions C. Radioactive waste
B. Limited sources
D. Area needed
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Environmental Science Assessment
3. More than 50% of all electricity produced in
the U.S. is generated by coal. (T/F)
4. Which is not an alternative fuel?
A. Oil
C. Hydrogen
B. Biodiesel
D. P-Series
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Environmental Science Assessment
5. Broken glass can be easily sorted at
recycling centers. (T/F)
6. Which fuel is produced by fermenting and
distilling starch crops?
A. Methanol
C. Propane
B. Ethanol
D. Hydrogen
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Environmental Science Assessment
7. Which of the following recyclable materials is
considered hazardous?
A. Paper
C. Motor Oil
B. Plastic
D. Aluminum
8. Which of the following is NOT one of the
three R’s?
A. Recycle
C. Reuse
B. Rerun
D. Reduce
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Acknowledgements
Energy Quest
www.energyquest.ca.gov
Alternative Fuels Data Center
www.adfc.doe.gov
Louisiana Dept. of Natural Resources
www.leeric.lsu.edu
The Internet Consumer Recycling Guide
www.obviously.com/recycle/
REACH – Recycling Education Activating Change
www.reachrecycling.org
Energy Information Administration Kid’s Page
www.eia.doe.gov/kids/
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