Problem 1
Describe three major environmental challenges for fossil fuels in general or one in particular.
Problem 2
What are the compelling reasons to continue using coal in spite of its challenges?
Problem 3
Rate the following electricity sources for their contribution to climate change from most to least: biomass, coal, solar, wind, nuclear, natural gas, oil, geothermal, hydroelectric, MSW.
Problem 4
Describe the environmental and social concerns with regard to biofuels.
Problem 5
Nuclear fuel can be used once and committed to storage or reprocessed after its initial use to recover unused nuclear fuel for re-use. What are the arguments for and against reprocessing?
Problem 7
There are many reasons to reduce consumption of oil, including an ultimately finite supply, the high cost and lost economic stimulus of payments to foreign producers, the threat of interruption of supply due to weather, natural disaster, terrorism or geopolitical decisions, and the threat of climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions. Which of these reasons are the most important? Will their relative importance change with time?
