Discover: The Great Debate: Is Burying Carbon the Solution to Climate Change?

One solution for dealing with too much carbon is to capture and bury it.

As the climate changes, there is much concern for the future of our planet. As we continue to use fossil fuels and add more carbon to the atmosphere, new solutions are needed.

One new idea for dealing with carbon is called Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). When fossil fuels are burned, they produce carbon dioxide (CO₂), which usually escapes into the atmosphere. Instead of letting the carbon dioxide escape from places such as factories and power plants, CCS captures the carbon dioxide, then pumps and seals it deep underground.

CCS seems to be a great idea, and it may very well be a good solution for too much carbon. However, some scientists have concerns that CCS may actually do more harm than good. In this next activity, you will learn more about CCS and decide for yourself if it is a good idea for dealing with too much carbon.

Is CCS a good way to deal with too much carbon?

Materials

Websites:

• Greenpeace report finds CCS is unproven, risky and expensive
  
• HowStuffWorks: How Carbon Capture Works
• Carbon Capture and Underground Storage
• Wonderville Video: What to Do with CO₂?
  

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