Hoover Middle School

Environmental Issues in the News Research Project

Created by K Crossley, LWong & M Rehbehn, 4/4/08;
revised 5/6/10 

You will be researching an environmental topic from the list below, finding pros and cons on this issue and using persuasive techniques to support your opinion.  Specifically, you will be debating one side of your issue.

You will use at least TWO sources to research your topic, and create a NoodleTools bibliography to hand it in through NoodleTools electronically.  You will find hints in red for citing resources on NoodleTools.

Here are your topics, stated in the affirmative (positive, pro) for a debate.

Online Databases

Opposing Viewpoints:  Use the chart below to find key words for your topic.  If you click on a “popular topic”, you will begin on a tab called “Viewpoints.”  This is an essay from an expert, which begins with an explanation of what their viewpoint is.  Use the other tabs to get articles from different kinds of sources.  Change the option for the Search Box to KEYWORD for the best results.
NoodleTools:  Look at the top tab and at the top of your article to see what citation type you should use.  For viewpoint essays, follow this path:  reference source – online – other – yes, I will provide publication details – database is Opposing Viewpoints.  Do NOT provide a URL. 

SIRS Knowledge Source:   Click on “Keyword/Natural Language” and use the search box to search with your key words from the chart below.
NoodleTools:  Look at the top of the article you are using to see what type of source this article came from (magazine, newspaper, etc.).  That will tell you what type of citation you must use.

SIRS Discoverer:  Use the search box to search with your key words and look at the colored box to the left of the title to see the reading level for articles.
NoodleTools:  Click on “Source and Summary.”  Use that information to figure out where SIRS Discoverer found this article and cite that source (magazine, newspaper, encyclopedia, etc.)  Retrieved from an online database.  For an encyclopedia article:  yes, duplicated from a printed work.  Do NOT provide a URL.

Issues and Controversies:  Use the search box to find articles about your issue.  After you find one article, look on the left side of your article for other related articles.
NoodleTools:  Cite as online database – yes, this is original content – database is Issues and Controversies – database publisher is Facts on File News Services.  Do NOT provide a URL. 

Question	Opposing Viewpoints	SIRS Discoverer	Issues & Controversies	SIRS Knowledge Source
mass transit	mass transit	mass transit	mass transit	mass transit
hybrid cars	hybrid vehicles, alternative fuel vehicles, energy consumption, alternative fuels	Hybrid electric vehicles, automobiles fuel consumption, alternative fuels	hybrid vehicles, alternative fuels, renewable energy	Hybrid electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles cost, automobiles fuel consumption, alternative energy sources, transportation engineering
organic food sources	organic food, preservatives in food, antibiotics in meat	natural foods, organic foods, food preservatives, pesticide residue in food, antibiotics in animal nutrition	organic foods, food preservatives, pesticides in food	Go to SIRS Researcher, leading issues lists, food safety measures; food quality, chemicals in food, organic food, preservatives in food
energy efficient light bulbs	energy-efficient light	energy efficient light, energy efficient light bulb	energy-efficient light	"alternative energy" on main issues list, energy-efficient light bulb
plastic vs paper	cost of recycling, plastics recycling, paper recycling, recycling and waste reduction	plastics recycling, waste paper recycling, packaging waste, paper vs. plastic, recycling waste	Recycling, Plastic bags, Packaging waste	recycling waste economic aspects, plastics recycling, plastic bags, pollution, conservation of natural resources
drinking water	drinking water bottled water	Drinking water – subject, bottled water, plastic bottles	Drinking water, bottled water	Drinking water contamination, bottled water, plastic bottles, water quality

Websites 

 NoodleTools:  Cite all websites below as “websites.” 

Mass Transit 

1. New York City Transit and the Environment  - http://www.mta.info/nyct/facts/ffenvironment.htm - This website gives a brief paragraph about the advantages of using mass transit.

2. Planet Green:  7 Reasons to Take Public Transportation Besides the Environment - http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tech-transport/reasons-public-transportation-environment.html?campaign=daylife-article 

3. Heritage Foundation:  Mass Transit: Separating Delusion from Reality - http://www.heritage.org/research/smartGrowth/wm1607.cfm - This website describes mass transit programs that have not decreased traffic congestion.

4. Encyclopedia Britannica:  The Benefits of Urban Mass Transit - http://school.eb.com/all/eb/article-64257 -  This article discusses the competition of mass transit with private automobiles, and the advantages to individuals and communities of using mass transit.  CITE THIS AS A REFERENCE SOURCE.

5. TheStar.com:  Transit Road to Recovery - http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/414217 - This article outlines the car vs. mass transit situation in Toronto, and there are links to other articles looking at mass transit successes in other cities as well.

Hybrid Cars

6. California Energy Commission:  A Student's Guide to Alternative Fuel Vehicles: Hybrid Vehicles -  http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/transportation/hybrid.html 

7. US Dept. of Energy: Alternative & Advanced Vehicles: What is a Hybrid Electrical Vehicle? - http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/vehicles/hybrid_electric_what_is.html 

8. Union of Concerned Scientists: Clean Vehicles: Hybrid-Electric Vehicles - http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles/technologies_and_fuels/hybrid_fuelcell_and_electric_vehicles/hybrid-electric-vehicles.html 

9. Consumer Reports: Greener Choices: Car Articles –  http://www.greenerchoices.org/pcategories.cfm?pcat=autos - Scroll down and look in the right column for articles under “Hybrid Vehicles.”

Organic Food Sources

10. Mayo Clinic: Organic foods: Are they safer? More nutritious? - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organic-food/NU00255 - This article provides definitions of organic foods and an overview of pros/cons of organic vs. conventional foods.

11. Consumer Reports: Fruits and Vegetables: When to Buy Organic - http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/food/diet-nutrition/organic-products/organic-foods/overview/when-to-buy-organic-ov.htm - This good overview article cites some statistics.

12. TLC Cooking: How Organic Food Works - http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/organic-food.htm - This article defines organic food and gives both pros and cons of eating organic.

13. Consumer Reports:  GreenerChoices:  Why Some Organic Products Fall Short - http://www.greenerchoices.org/products.cfm?product=organicproducts&pcat=food

High Efficiency Light Bulbs

14. EarthEasy:   Energy Efficient Lightbulbs - http://www.eartheasy.com/live_energyeff_lighting.htm - Look here for both the benefits and limitations of using energy efficient lightbulbs.

15. ArticlesBase:   A Better Mousetrap: High-Efficiency Halogen Lamps Are A Superior Energy-Efficient Lighting Solution For Existing Recessed Downlights - http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/a-better-mousetrap-highefficiency-halogen-lamps-are-a-superior-energyefficient-lighting-solution-for-existing-recessed-downlights-2120219.html 

16. Boston.com:High-Efficient Light bulbs come with Mercury Risk - http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2008/02/25/high_efficient_lightbulbs_come_with_mercury_risk/ - This article outlines a possible risk when using high-efficiency light bulbs.

 17. Maine Senate Democrats: Legislative leaders change to high-efficiency light bulbs http://maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=Senatedemsall&id=43036&v=Article – This articles outlines the positives of using compact fluorescent lights (CFLs).

18. Metromode:  The Good and the Bad of High-Efficiency Light Bulbs - http://www.metromodemedia.com/innovationnews/lightbulbs11.aspx

Paper vs. Plastic Bag

19. Museum of Solid Waste & Energy -http://www.need.org/needpdf/Museum%20of%20Solid%20Waste%20&%20Energy.pdf See pages 10-25 for in depth discussion of the issues around waste disposal and recycling, especially pg. 25’s “Paper or plastic?”

20.  “Paper vs. Plastic Bags” -  http://www.angelfire.com/wi/PaperVsPlastic/

21. Reusable Bags.com:  “Paper bags are better than plastic, right?” - http://www.reusablebags.com/facts.php?id=7 Discusses energy, pollution, recycling and degradability of paper and plastic bags.

22. About.com: Paper. Plastic, or something better? - http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/reusablebags.htm This article looks at both sides of the issue.

23. Ezine articles: Plastic Bag vs. Paper Bag Facts – What is Best - http://ezinearticles.com/?Plastic-Bag-vs-Paper-Bag-Facts---What-is-Best?&id=1582836 This article has good pros and cons of each.

24. EPA: Basic Information about Paper Recycling - http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/paper/basic_info.htm This article includes statistics about recycling paper.

25. Ecology Center:  Seven Misconceptions about Plastic and Plastic Recycling - http://www.ecologycenter.org/ptf/misconceptions.html - Read this to find out about plastic recycling and other options to deal with plastic.

26. About.com: How to Recycle Different Types of Plastic - http://environment.about.com/od/earthtalkcolumns/a/recycleplastics.htm - This webpage addresses the wide range of plastic types and the issues connected to each type’s recycling.

Bottled Water vs. Tap Water

27. Environmental Health and Safety Online: Drinking Water Information: Bottled Water or Tap Water -  http://www.ehso.com/ehshome/DrWater/drinkingwater.php#Overview

28. ABC News: Is Bottled Water Better Than Tap? [2005] - http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Health/story?id=728070&page=1

29. USA Today: Water Wars: Bottled vs. Tap [2007]: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/painter/2007-08-26-painter-yourhealth_N.htm

30. About.com Pediatrics: Bottled Water:  Better Than Tap? - http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/weeklyquestion/a/080702_ask_3.htm

31. NPR: The Water Debate Continues: Bottled vs. Tap: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12173651 – Look for links at the side and bottom to related articles.

32. LA Times: Bottled versus tap: Which is safer?: http://articles.latimes.com/2008/oct/13/health/he-nutrition13 - Includes info on safety concerns about tap water.