Improve Landfill Management
Scientific Reports
Grades9, 10, 11, 12, APEarth and Space Sciences, Engineering
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Project Drawdown
What it is
- This report examines strategies for reducing methane emissions from landfills.
- The report looks at two strategies, methane capture and biocovers, discussing the costs for implementation, potential emissions reductions, and other aspects of this solution.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This report includes many charts, graphs, and other visualizations that help readers better understand the concepts presented.
- The report does a great job of defining the terms specific to this solution within the text and providing pop-up definitions to help students understand content-specific vocabulary.
Prerequisites
- Teachers may want to go over some vocabulary terms with students, such as global warming potential.
- Teachers may need to explain how the emissions are measured on a 20-year basis and a 100-year basis.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Students who are more familiar with CO2 as a greenhouse gas than methane may benefit from having this resource paired with a lesson, like this one, that examines methane as a greenhouse gas.
- After reading, students can research and discuss other waste-related solutions, such as reducing food waste, composting, etc.
- Students can check out Project Drawdown's Solutions Explorer to compare this solution to other Emergency Brake solutions.
- This solution can be connected to the Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being, and SDG 13, Climate Action.
From the scientist review
This article explores and details two methods, methane capture and biocovers, available to reduce methane emissions from landfills. The article explains what these methods are, how to implement them, their impacts, and the feasibility of each method. Methane and its relation to and impact on the climate and environment are also discussed, including how its impacts compare to those of carbon dioxide. The article provides a good example of the many considerations that go into creating, evaluating, and implementing a climate solution. The information presented is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.
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