What you need to know:  What is Global Warming?  How do our energy choices affect the environment?  What are the advantages and disadvantages of Nuclear Power? Is Nuclear Power the Answer? Questions: 1.Are you in favour of nuclear power? Why? 2. Why is global warming a bad thing? 

 Carbon dioxide traps heat energy in the atmosphere  The more CO 2 there is in the atmosphere, the warmer the atmosphere gets Date

As the atmosphere warms up: polar ice-caps and glaciers melt

sea levels rise

habitats for many plants and animals are destroyed Adele penguinsPolar bears Ice fish

 Burning fossil fuels increases the amount of CO 2 in the atmosphere  Nuclear fuel does not produce any CO 2

 Biofuels do not add any more CO 2 to the atmosphere... ... because they are made from plants, which remove CO2 from the atmosphere as they photosynthesise  But, growing biofuels uses up land which could be used to grow food

To Do:  Read through the Yes Please? No Thanks? worksheet    Cut up the sheet and rearrange into two lists:  points in favour, and...  points against nuclear power

The case FOR nuclear power

The case AGAINST nuclear power

 Who is in favour of building new nuclear power stations?  Who is against?  Who has changed their mind during this lesson?  How can we make sure we are making the right decisions about things like this?  What should we do if decisions about science are not black and white?