800 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE / ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

Making It Last with SmartHydro

By: Felix L.Year: 2023School: Arnold O. Beckman HighGrade: 11Science Teacher: Darin Hallstrom Water scarcity is a pressing global issue, and California, a state frequently plagued by drought, faces its own set of challenges in managing this precious resource. Outdated and costly water infrastructure in the state often necessitates manual visits by water district employees to record household water

Corn Husks Recyclable Boxes

Have you ever wondered how many trees are killed to make cardboard boxes? Sebastian’s project aims to replace cardboard boxes with biodegradable eco friendly boxes made out of corn husks. This would be helpful because it causes less deforestation, less CO2 emissions in the air and uses the scraps from the corns husks and converts

From Brine to Beverage: Solar-Powered Salt Removal

Aria made freshwater from saltwater using solar power and the water cycle. She then tested how salinity affects this process. “I wanted to explore this topic as my state of California is in a drought and running low on freshwater sources,” Aria wrote. “I used the sun’s energy and the water cycle to power my

Safe Water

What’s the difference between bottled water, tap water, and fridge water? which one is the safest to drink? Raksha used a water monitoring kit to test components of the water, including dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate, and turbidity on one cup of tap water, one cup of fridge water, and one cup of bottled water. “For

Can Plants Prevent Erosion

This project is about whether or not plants can help prevent erosion. Erosion is the geological process in which earthen materials are worn away and transported by natural forces such as wind or water. Anthony hypothesized that soil with plants inside it will prevent the ground from eroding events. In this project, Group A had a

How do Biodegradable Plastic Bags Affect Ocean Life

By: Akshay A.Year: 2022School: Aliso Viejo MiddleGrade: 7Science Teacher: Raji Lakshmanan 4 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year and Americans throw away 100 billion bags every year. Since 1950 more than 9 billion tons of plastic have been produced. 60% of it is in landfills, 30% is still being used and only 12%

Plant Biomass as Alternative to Plastic Insulation

By: Tony N.Year: 2022School: Westminster HighGrade: 11Science Teacher: Huy Pham Plastic usage has become prevalent in today’s society, especially with the packaging of goods, from perishable items such as food and nonperishable items such as toys. However, despite their affordability, plastics have served as pollutants that harm the environment. Tony intended to utilize plant biomass

Simulating the Effects of Water Pollution on Daphnia Magna

By: Joselyn G.Year: 2022School: Westminster High SchoolGrade: 10Science Teacher: Huy Pham The goal of the project is to determine at what concentration will Daphnia Magna (aquatic invertebrates) react to water pollution, specifically ammonium nitrate. We raised the daphnia in clear containers until they were able to reproduce. The negative control group was the optimal habitat