How might your project help ensure the quality of water, air, soil or the diversity of living things, or manage the impact of climate change?

Check out this list of questions to get you thinking about your project, inspire some research, and help you decide what question or problem you might want to investigate.

Brainstorming project ideas:

Water

• How can we keep rivers, lakes, or oceans clean and healthy?
• How could you test ways to filter or purify dirty water using safe materials?
• What products contribute to water pollution (e.g. soaps, plastics, fertilizers, industry run-off), and how could we reduce their impact?

Air

• How does traffic, industry, or wildfires affect air conditions where you live?
• How could plants or new technologies improve indoor or outdoor air quality?
• How do gases in the atmosphere impact climate change? Is there a way for us to reduce or remove them?

Soil & Land

• How can fertilizers or farming practices affect soil quality?
• How can composting or soil management practices improve soil health?
• How does soil quality affect what grows there? How does it affect crops (e.g. size, nutrition, taste, quality, etc.)?
• How can we protect land from erosion, drought, or contamination?

Biodiversity

• Why are certain species important to ecosystems? What happens if their populations change?
• What local actions could protect or restore wildlife habitats?
• What invasive species are in your area? How could you monitor their impact or prevent further spread?

Climate Change Impacts

• How is climate change affecting weather, seasons, or species in your area?
• How could renewable energy, recycling, or greener transportation reduce carbon footprints?
• What strategies (e.g. gardening methods, lifestyle changes, community planning) can help people cope with climate change?

Remember

Start by picking a topic or idea that sparks your curiosity. Then think about whether you could discover (test an idea through an experiment, research or survey) or innovate (design a new solution) around that problem. Learn more about the difference between Discovery and Innovation projects here.