Transportation and the Environment: Energy, Fuels and Emissions
Transportation and the environment.Copyright US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration http://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/strmlng/newsletters/aug05nl.asp
Looking at transportation and the environment, students learn that some human-made creations, such as vehicles, can harm the natural environment. They also learn about alternative fuels and vehicles designed by engineers to minimize pollution. The associated hands-on activity gives students a chance to design their own eco-friendly vehicles.
Engineers design and build many different things that benefit society. Unfortunately, some of these designs lead to the release of pollution into the environment. Pollution can have a negative effect on the health of humans and the environment and even cause deterioration of national landmarks. Environmental engineers specialize in cleaning up and minimizing the amount of pollution that is emitted to assure clean air and water for the population. Many different types of engineers work together to explore options of how to make daily processes, such as driving a vehicle, cleaner and better for the environment.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Explain that cars are a major contributor to air pollution.
- Understand that alternative forms of transportation and new types of cars can produce fewer harmful emissions.
- Explain that environmental engineers focus on keeping air and water clean for humans and to protect the environment.
- Name two renewable energy sources.