Okay, we admit that harnessing the biochemical reaction of yeasts converting the carbohydrates in corn mash into ethanol is pretty slick (as ancients discovered eons ago, though they didn’t use fancy enzymes in the process).

And we suppose the ancient cultures may have used the leftover fermented mash to feed animals. But unlike ages ago, today’s ethanol production facilities produce something called DDG or “dried distiller’s grain” that is shipped around the world.

Before we get into what we do with the co-products of ethanol production, let’s first get that ethanol into your fuel tank. The process is pretty straightforward. Once it’s extracted, it’s stored then shipped to terminals where it’s blended with conventional hydrocarbon based fuels such as gasoline. One very cool reason they blend it is that ethanol actually increases the “octane” or combustion performance of fuels plus reduces burnt fuel emissions. That’s one “two-for” in dealing with ethanol. Watch the video here to get the full story.

The second “two-for” is the co-products they produce from the by-products of the process. The first biggie is DDG (dried distiller’s grain). It’s a high-protein dried corn meal that is used primarily for animal feed for both livestock and poultry. It’s gained such widespread use that it’s shipped on freighters around the world and ultimately helps feed populations in distant lands such as the far-east nations.

And just when you thought you were done with the co-products, some engineer holds up a bottle of oil… distiller’s corn oil that’s a prime feed-stock that’s used in making biodiesel. But that’s another story for later on. Be sure to check out those biodiesel science videos and lesson under the Energy category.

To further decode the technology of ethanol and co-product production, have your teacher download the lesson activities below for hours of peer-driven learning in your classroom with your peeps. You can also learn lots more by reading the advanced information in the Learn More section below by clicking on the icon.

To learn about the production of biodiesel, another important biofuel, explore our videos and lessons ethanol. You’ll find them in the Energy Category on the Home page.

For fun, also take a moment and check out the jazzed ethanol industry careers video on the right. Then, click the link of our educational partner here to dig even deeper into the science of ethanol production.

The future of bioenergy has come a long way since they produced Back to The Future 2 in 1989. Back then, they fictionalized the concept of putting waste products into some kind of futuristic "bioenergy converter" to power the vehicle's engine.

No, we can't put garbage into our fuel tanks yet to power our vehicles. But we have come a long way in the evolution of biofuels as scientists and engineers can now create crystal clear biodiesel from a variety of discarded cooking oils and even animal fat. One of the terms they use for this process is working with flexible feedstocks.

So why go to all the trouble, technology and expense to make biodiesel when we can get it from crude oil refineries? Experts say there's plenty of good reasons beyond the obvious reason that it makes good sense for the Planet to take waste products and recycle them into a beneficial product. Plus, biodiesel is nontoxic, is free of aromatics, increases engine "lubricity" (watch the video to learn more about that one) and yields 92% of the energy of hydrocarbon-based diesel fuel.

One of the prime feedstocks they use in making biodiesel just happens to be one of the co-products they produce from making ethanol, another form of bioenergy - DCO or distiller's corn oil. Pretty cool loop when you think about it. So really, animal fat derived from animals eating plant (corn) carbohydrates, used cooking grease (that probably contains corn oil) and distiller's corn oil all connect with renewable corn crops grown in America's heartland.

To really decode the science behind this biodiesel production, have your teacher download the discussion guide and lesson activities below for hours of peer-driven learning in your classroom with your peeps. You can also learn lots more by reading the advanced information in the Learn More section below by clicking on the icon.

To learn about the production of ethanol, another important biofuel, explore our videos and lessons ethanol. You’ll find them in the Energy Category on the Home page.

For fun, also take a moment and check out the jazzed bioenergy industry careers video on the right. Then, click the link of our educational partner here to dig even deeper into the science of biodiesel production.

 

 

To decode the science of crude oil formation we first need to go back in time. Waaaay back! We have to set our geologic clocks back tens and even hundreds of millions of years to a time when ancient seas covered much of North America. Small lifeforms, mostly algae, and tiny creatures known as zooplankton lived in these ancient seas. They produced their life energy by using CO2, water, and sunlight. Like all living things, these plants and animals eventually died. Their remains fell to the bottom and mixed with and were buried by sediment. Their remains and seafloor sediment piled up for millions of years.

Eventually, the pressure from the piled sediment and heat caused changes in the plant and animal, or organic, materials into a wax-like material called kerogen. Another by-product of this pressure is a tar-like substance known as bitumen, which we will learn more about later.

Catagenesis happens next. Big word. Essentially, catagenesis is the cracking of kerogen into smaller, hydrocarbon molecules that make up crude oil. Hydrocarbons are carbon atoms that have their “outer shell” filled only with hydrogen atoms. The minerals contained in the plant and animal remains mentioned earlier have an important role in catagenesis. They function as catalysts, materials that speed up or change the outcome of a reaction without being used up in the reaction itself. The catalyst helps catagenesis continue and, if the levels of pressure and temperature are just right, it forms crude oil – ta-da!

When you're ready to drill even deeper into the science of crude, click on the "Learn More" tab below to discover more about the mysteries of crude oil formation and exploration. Filling up your gas tank will never be the same again.

Plus, take a moment and check out the jazzed petroleum industry careers video on the right. Then, click the link of our educational partner here to dig even deeper into the science of refining and transporting crude oil.

 

 

Farming and raising animals is not the same everywhere.  Each tract of land has its own soil type, bedrock, plant cover type and percentage, water flow and slope.  All of these factors play a part in the vulnerability of surface and ground water to contamination by farm run-off.  This runoff could contain manure, fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides or other substances from machinery and operations.  The contaminants in the run-off could kill aquatic plants and insects at the base of the food web, or make them grow too numerous.  Each situation puts the aquatic ecosystem off balance and lowers species diversity by decreasing the survival rate of sensitive organisms.

Aquaculture is the production of fish, either in containment nets or in recirculating systems.

Aquaponics is the combination of fish culture and hydroponic vegetable production.

Aquaponics systems are more economically and environmentally feasible than typical recirculating aquaculture systems.  By growing a secondary crop, such as vegetables or herbs, costs associated with construction, operation and maintenance can be distributed across both fish and vegetable production and make both more viable in cost return.  Plants/vegetables via the nitrogen cycle help break down ammonia and nitrates and remove them from the culture water.  This is mutually beneficial for both plant propagation and fish culture.

In aquaponics the fish effluent and the nutrients left by leftover decomposing fish food can be utilized by plants and other aquatic life as food.  Rather than just throwing away these nutrients food can be produced. Creating a closed loop is not only economically more viable but is also more environmentally sustainable.

 

Even though traditional agriculture of farming the land is on the decline, aquaculture, also known as fish farming, is on the rise and offers new educational and occupational opportunities. And aquaponics is also a growing trend that has a strong sustainable side.

Aquaculture involves the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of water-raised plants and aquatic animals in various water environments; including tanks, ponds, rivers, lakes, and even the ocean. Aquaculture produces food fish, sport fish, bait fish, ornamental fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae, sea vegetables, and fish eggs. And some operations combine two or more products in the same operation. Watch our video here and you’ll see for yourself how they make ‘surf n turf” under the same roof.

Some aquaculture operations produce seafood from hatchery fish that are grown to market size in ponds, tanks, or raceways. Other operations grow the combination of fish and plant species used in a variety of food, pharmaceutical, nutritional, and biotechnology products.

Freshwater aquaculture produces species that are native to rivers, lakes, and streams. This aquaculture is dominated by catfish but also produces trout, tilapia, and bass. Freshwater aquaculture takes place primarily in ponds and on the land, inside man-made systems such as recirculating aquaculture systems.

Below you’ll find helpful links and lessons about aquaculture and aquaponics.

Rivers are like arteries, bringing life to the region surrounding them, washing away waste, purifying the environment with their biotic and abiotic processes.  Just like in the body, natural communities thrive when the flow is swift and pure and healthy.  But just like a body, rivers are there to be used.  The native tribes say; think like a river, and you will bring health to her and all she touches.  Others say that rivers are tools to be used for efficient support of modern civilization, and should be maximized in such use.  Whose perspective is right?  Is there a way to do both?

The Ottaway is a case study of the issues that people everywhere are facing in regards to river health and the environmental impact of human activity.  It is told though the voices of the people who care about the river, rely on its functions, and want to share their perspectives on what impending change means to them.  Through their stories your students will hear the facts and experience the emotional impacts that helped community leaders make decisions on natural resource use such as logging, hydroelectric dams, fishing and boating.  Through viewing scientific research methods used to gather data, your students will understand how data is collected and analyzed to determine the health of a fishery – which is the marker for overall river health.

The ultimate question is can humans take advantage of a natural resource without consequences?  And if a resource is impacted by human activity, is there a way back?  Experience The Ottaway to find your answers in two ways: 1) Watch all the classroom videos at the top of this page, or watch the full one-hour Emmy-winning film, 2) Have your teacher download the classroom Discussion Guide below for a healthy exchange of peer-driven, critical thinking and learning.

 

Hey, teachers and educators!! Don't forget to check out the advanced overview for some quick-start birding lessons in your classroom plus the lesson plans below. 

Did you know that more than 45 million people in the United States are birders? That means one out of seven people you meet enjoy searching for and identifying these important feathery animals.

Why are birds so important you may ask? Well first of all, they help grow and protect many crops that you eat during your mealtimes. Two thousand bird species and other animals help pollinate 90% of plants and 75% of crops around the world. Birds also eat 20 quadrillion plant-eating insects each year that destroy crops like corn, apples, strawberries, and lettuce. Not only do birds help us eat and grow, but their ability to fly at incredible heights, speeds, and distances inspired us to build airplanes. It is no wonder since the peregrine falcon can dive up to 200 miles per hour while the Ruppel’s griffon vulture can fly 37,000 feet off the ground. That is higher than the world’s tallest mountains, the Himalayan Mountains. Lastly, since birds are sensitive to changes in temperature, moisture, and oxygen in their environmental surroundings, birds can be indicators of climate change. Counting the number of species and individual birds in an area assists scientists in gauging the health of the environment. The higher the variety and amount of birds, the better. (of course not in all cases? Could be overpopulation, crowding effects)(scientists may record shifts in nesting or migration behaviors too)

So what can we do to keep or regain habitat for birds? Organizations of people across the country aim to reduce the threat of habitat loss by building sanctuaries or conservancies. These sanctuaries and conservancies are refuges for birds because they protect, manage, and restore habitats that birds depend upon. Thinks of these places as hotels. When birds are in need of a new home, looking for places to find a partner and raise a family, or searching for a place to rest while traveling south for the winter, a bird will ‘check in’ to one of these hotels. Here, a bird may visit family and friends, eat lots of natural food, drink clean water, swim in the pool, and sleep in a safe space. Sounds fun, right?

Additionally, every bird species is unique and requires certain characteristics in their habitat. Therefore, a ‘hotel’ staff must work hard and long to create and maintain a sanctuary or conservancy that provides a vast array of habitats for as many bird and wildlife species as possible. For instance, you may find habitats ranging from tallgrass prairies and oak savannahs to mature hardwood forests and temperate rainforests to open wetlands and coastal beaches in a conservancy or sanctuary.

But sanctuaries and conservancies cannot build themselves. Watch these two videos and learn how avian stewards like you can help sanctuaries and conservancies reach to the skies and create quality habitat for birds.

Our educational partner, American Transmission Company (ATC), supported the video content above. To learn more about their pollinator program, check out the link below. Also, look out for ATC's new bird identification field guide! Book copies may be purchased at the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in Greenbay, Wisconsin.