Environmental Science Project Ideas

A Matter of Degrees: How Does the Tilt of Earth's Axis Affect the Seasons?
Many people are surprised to learn that the season's we experience—winter, spring, summer and fall—have nothing to do with the distance of Earth from the Sun. In this science fair project, you will investigate how the temperature on Earth actually depends on the tilt of Earth's axis of rotation. Read more

Air Pollution *
Smog days are often posted in your local newspaper. Check how many smog days your city has had in the last year, how does it compare to other years? You can also take pictures of your city landscape on high and low smog days. How do the pictures compare? How does smog in the atmosphere affect visibility? What is smog made of? (EPA, 2006) Read more

Deforestation *
The conversion of forested to unforested areas has been occurring since humans began to impact and change their environments during the agricultural revolution. Recently deforestation has become a global problem, particularly for developing industrial countries and countries with very large populations. You can use satellite mapping resources to investigate the connection between urbanization, population growth and deforestation. You can also… Read more

Disappearing Act: How Fast Do Different Biodegradable & Compostable Materials Decompose?
Have you ever seen a product labeled "biodegradable" or "compostable" and wondered just how well it decomposes? A lot of different products claim to be biodegradable or compostable, such as food containers, bags, packaging materials, and spoons and forks. Not only do they clearly come in different shapes and sizes, but they are made of different materials as well. Do they decompose differently, and, if so, which decomposes the fastest? In… Read more

Electronic Pollution *
Some people worry that modern electronic devices can give off harmful electromagnetic radiation, called EMF. Test your computer, radio, cell phone, computer, TV, or microwave for electromagnetic radiation. You can also try growing a sensitive organism, like flies, yeast or worms, to see if a potential source of electromagnetic radiation has an effect on them. Is it a myth, or will your cell phone fry your brain? Read more