End of Spring Session Party

April 20, 2013
Energy-Net's first session is officially over!

Thanks to all the teenagers who worked so hard, giving up their free time after school and dedicating their talents to this pilot teen program at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Also thanks to Dr. Dan Bain and Dr. Emily Elliott for their efforts to create and maintain this program with CMNH and the University of Pittsburgh, as well as our college interns' and graduate students' hard work to make Energy-Net a success.

There was screenprinting and cake!

Photos of the Energy-Net team can be found here

Make Choices Market: Exhibit Opening !

Our exhibit that we had been working very had on opened at the museum on April 20th! We spent the morning setting all of our items up for the exhibit before it officially opened at noon.

With our exhibit, we wanted to show museum visitors the energy involved in bringing the food they typically eat to their table. To do this we set our space up like a cafeteria where visitors could pick their meal.

When visitors entered the exhibit, they picked up a tray and walked through the line and picked up cards with pictures of food items on them to chose their "meal". Once they had their meal, they could sit down at one of our tables and look at their choices. On the back of the cards were graphs showing how healthy their food choices were and how much processing was done to the food. There was also a chart on the table comparing all of the food choices so visitors could see how their choices rated amongst the others. While talking with visitors, we explained a food that was more heavily processed required more energy to make than one that was less processed. We had a chart the traced the energy used in food from the time it was grown on the farm until the time it reached your dining table. Some of the food choices, such as an apple, only went through some of the process depicted on the chart. However, a rice crispy treat had to go through the entire process depicted on the chart and required more energy than the apple.

After visitors discovered some of the energy behind their meals, they could take one of our to-go menus with them. On these menus were ideas for more sustainable eating tips and local farmers markets to buy fresh produce. Websites for local environmental organizations were also included.

Because this was our very first run at an exhibit, we were very interested in visitor feedback! We created a feedback board where visitors could post their thoughts. In general, our exhibit was well recepted. The best feedback, we thought, were the comments about how nice everyone was! WE had a great time showcasing all of our hard work to family, friends, and museum patrons. Stay tuned for some changes we will make to the exhibit based on the feedback we received. If you happen to be in the Pittsburgh area, come check out Make Choices Market!

The entire album of photos from our exhibit opening can be viewed here

Weeks 10 and 11: Exhibit Design

After a semester full of exciting discoveries, it was time for us to pull together the information we gathered about energy and create an exhibit for the Carnegie Museum of Natural History! The task seemed very daunting at first, but with everyone working together we were able to create a great exhibit.

To begin with, we each brainstormed different ways we could convey information we learned in our lessons to the public. It was important for us to keep in mind the different audiences our exhibit would have. We made a list of how to present our information to young children, our peers, and adults for each topic we came up with. After everyone was done brainstorming, we sifted through the ideas to see what was feasible to create in the timeframe we were working with. We also mixed and matched some ideas at this points to create a working idea everyone was satisfied with. In the end, we all agreed to create an exhibit focusing on the energy necessary to bring our food to our table. Everyone can relate to food so we thought this was a great start!

Before we ended the meeting that week we made a list of all the components required to make our exhibit a success. Everyone signed up to work on the parts they felt matched their skills the best.

At the next meeting, we set to work right away creating all of the pieces we needed for the exhibit. We wanted our exhibit to have the feel of a restaurant/cafeteria. This required people create food choice cards, placemats, takeout menus and other items a person would find at a restaurant. Samantha from the museum's marketing department also came down to help us decide what large signs we needed printed.

Everyone was busy at work this session to create all of the pieces for our exhibit opening. Stay tuned for pictures and descriptions of our final product!

The picture album for these two weeks can be found here

Week 9: Minerals and Alternative Energies Exploration

Deb Wilson, an assistant collections manager and mineral photographer, came to our Energy-Net meeting today to provide us with some information about minerals and their uses. When we came in, Deb had a slide show of beautiful pictures of minerals, and we could try our hand at identifying the minerals on the screen. Just incase we got frustrated, she had a list for us. After we spent some time viewing the slide show and magazines she brought in, she showed us some samples of specific minerals. We were able to touch some of the samples she brought as she told us some practical uses for each mineral. Some of the uses we were able to guess, but some were very surprising. She also told us a little about how certain minerals were mined or gathered.

Once we finished looking at the samples and asking any questions we had, Deb took us upstairs to explore the Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems. It was amazing! We were all very surprised by how large the exhibit was. It is right across from the Paleolab and easy to walk right past. Trust us, the next time you are at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History you do not want to miss it!

There were so many mineral specimens to browse. We had a great time deciding what some of them looked like. One looked like a porcupine! The colors in there were amazing, too. Many of the minerals were very brightly colored. Deb told us that all of the specimens in the hall were real and not a recreation. It was amazing to see the beauty that nature can create.

We spent a long time browsing the gallery and then made our way back down to the classroom. Once there, Angela had a slideshow for us to view about how minerals and energy impact our life every minute of every day. It was mind boggling to see all of the minerals and energy required just to use your alarm in the morning! This led into our discussion of alternative energies.

The EI's did a presentation on the various aspects of wind turbines. We looked at the energy involved in building a wind turbine/wind farm, the energy payback period for the construction, and the impact wind farms can have on wildlife species. The wind turbines have been thought to kill large numbers of birds following their migration patterns.

For the next two weeks we will  be working very hard to brainstorm and create our exhibit showcasing everything we have learned this past semester. Our exhibit opens on April 20th so we have some work to do!

Week 8: Dr.I Interview and Abandoned Mine Drainage

On March 28, we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to talk with Dr. Anthony Iannacchione. Dr. I is a professor at the University of Pittsburgh, and he is also the director of the Mining Engineering Program in the Swanson School of Engineering.

We took advantage of our opportunity to talk with Dr. I by asking him some questions we were curious about. First, we discussed his background and the many years he has spent on his education. He told us a little about his work history and experience with mining and also about his experiences as a professor.

Dr. I has given many talks and presentations throughout the years. Recently, he has spoken about using abandoned mine drainage from coal mines for the water necessary for hydraulic fracturing for natural gas extraction. Naturally, we had many questions about this process and how it could work!

After our time talking with Dr. I, we attempted to remediate some water that was impacted by AMD. We had bottles of water gathered by Marion, and we used pH strips to test the pH of the water. Before we changed anything, the water was slightly acidic with a pH of 6. To see if we could bring the water to a more neutral pH level, we added calcite. Calcite is frequently used to help raise an acidic substance to a neutral pH. With the calcite added, we then tested the water again. The pH only increased very slightly. It was evident that a change did occur, but not enough of a change to be at a completely neutral pH. The results were not exactly what we expected, but that is science!

Next week were are looking forward to touring the Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems. We will be able to learn more about mineral uses in our everyday life and the energy involved!

Week 7: Emily Mercurio and Marcellus Shale

 Week 7 entailed a talk from Emily Mercurio, a geologist at Cabot Gas, about natural gas drilling on Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania. Cabot Gas is a natural gas extraction company that uses the technique of  hydraulic fracturing or "fracking" to recover gas about 5,000 feet below the Earth's surface. She explained the technique that they use in order to extract the gas, and the regulations and equipment associated with it. In a nutshell:

1. Regulations are discussed between the land owner and the drilling company
2. A drilling pad is established on a plot of land (either private or public)
3. Check underground conditions
4. Safety precautions
5. Drilling process

Much to many of our suprise, we found that the drilling process is much safer than we expected. Often times we hear about fracking contaminating water sources, but it is actually the drilling process that is inclined to influence pollution. When natural gas is extracted, and the pipe it is coming out of isn't sealed properly, it could seep into the groundwater system. Other sources of pollution are the chemicals that are used in the fracking water. Water is needed to create pressure in the ground to extract the gas, and if the fracking water isn't contained and treated it can have negative effects on the environment. Next week we plan to talk to Marc and Deb Wilson, the CMNH mineralogist and photographer, about minerals!

Tour of Cheswick Coal-fired Power Plant, Saturday, March 23 2013

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Today, we took a tour of a coal-fired power plant in Cheswick, about 30 minutes from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

Our guide, Kevin, a nuclear engineer who had studied while in the Navy, led us through the process of the generation of electricity, from coal to the outlet. He started by explaining the geologic history of Pennsylvania and the process by which coal forms, as well as why it's so efficient to use as a fuel compared to wood, even though it's comprised of much of the same material. After spending a while in the project planning room/classroom, it was time to begin our tour.

But remember, safety first!

The day we visited, the power plant was not operating after censors detected a possible safety hazard in one of the machines. The power plant was completely shut down and the maintenance crew was busy taking care of the problem when we arrived. Kevin showed us how coal is crushed into a fine powder in order to increase surface area and efficiency, then how it is used as a fuel to create steam in order to spin a generator. The generator consists of a tube covered in wire, with a strong magnet. When in motion, it creates a flow of electrons, which can then be sent through the power grid as electricity.

Our tour ended on the roof of the cooling stack building.

The entire album of photos can be viewed here

Week 6: Exhibit Design (Electricity and Circuits)

Week 6: Exhibit Design (Electricity and Circuits)

Week 6, on March 7^th, 2013, we focused on what it takes to make a good exhibit. Mandi and Mary Ann, also associated with the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, are working on a project that makes interactive exhibits to bring to festivals in order to spark interest about some vital topics concerning energy. We tested the activities with the teens in order to refine them and get some feedback. We did 5 experiments total:

•        Using a lemon as the power source à Making series and parallel circuits in order to make a small bulb light up 

•        Using water and a mill type structure to generate energy for small lights, and a buzzer

•        Using a fan and a propeller to generate energy for small lights, and a buzzer

•        Using solar cells and a bright light to generate energy for small lights, and a buzzer 

•        Using an alcohol based fuel substance to boil water and generate energy to exhibit the use of fossil fuels

 

We learned that it takes a lot more reusable energy to generate as much power as it would for a smaller amount of fossil fuel. Reusable energy is more underdeveloped because of this setback.

To tie into exhibit design we also posted the pros and cons about the activities on the whiteboard. This helped us to see everything about the exhibits that stood out and to refine the activity. We also watched a short video on exhibit design in order to see what strategies professional businesses use. This was a very positive lesson because it taught us more about teamwork and about the refining process in order to make great exhibits! We all agree that no idea is a bad idea, and by posting all ideas and pruning them down as a team we can make better progress.

Photos from exhibit design can be found here and here

Week 5: Personal Energy Audit

Week 5: Personal Energy Audit

To evaluate the amount of energy the members of EnergyNet use in a single day, we spent Thursday, February 28^th, 2013, on personal energy audits. We used function equations in an excel spreadsheet in order to convert the amount of energy per individual task (i.e. transportation, showering, cooking, etc.) to watts to calculate an ultimate raw number at the end of the session. We found that refrigerators use a ton of energy!! Most of the energy used in a day for one of us came from the refrigerator. Transportation was another chart topper. This audit made us take into account some of the frivolous ways we may be wasting energy. 

After personal energy audits, we calculated a family scenario in which case we determined how much a large family would use. Some of our equations needed to be refined in order to get a more accurate account but overall we learned that multiple laptops, phones, and computers in a home use a lot of energy.

Next week we plan to focus on exhibit design to better understand what goes into making an exhibit interactive and fun.

Week 4: Albert Koller Talk and Museum Exploration

Week 4:  Albert Koller Talk and Museum Exploration

After learning about renewable energy last week, EnergyNet went up to the geology hall, February 21^st, 2013, to meet Albert Koller, a geologist and invertebrate paleontologist, to get a more in depth perspective on fossil fuels and properties associated with them. Since coal is the primary source of energy in Pennsylvania, we learned about the composition of the resource, and how it is used. Koller also touched upon facts about Marcellus Shale, an extensive source of natural gas that is contained beneath the state of Pennsylvania and neighboring states.

After the lecture, we explored exhibits within the museum to get ideas for activities that we can make for the museum. The halls we explored were:

1. Discovery Room
2. Geology Hall
3. American Indian
4. Population Impact
5. Charlie and Kiwi

After the exploration, we headed back down to the classroom to document the day on our mindmap, a continuity diagram that maps what we have learned each week, and how our activities are associated with energy and the environment.

Next week we plan to do personal energy audits in order to figure out what our daily energy consumption is.

Week 3: Visit to Phipps Conservatory and the Center for Sustainable Landscape

Week 3: Visit to Phipps Conservatory and the Center for Sustainable Landscape

On February 14^th, 2013, EnergyNet ventured out of the museum and to the Phipps Conservatory and the Center for Sustainable Landscape to explore sustainable ways to power a building! We took a tour of the Phipps to see how much energy is required to power rooms that need to mimic conditions that exotic and foreign plant life need in order to live and prosper. For example, the orchid room needs a lot of energy in order to keep the room at a certain temperature and moisture because the flower needs very specific living conditions.




After exploring the Phipps, we headed over the Center for Sustainable Landscape, a building that uses zero net-energy. We learned that the building has an underground filtration and sequestration system for storm water, uses solar panels, geothermal, and sustainable insulation. All of these methods produce and conserve energy with less environmental impact.

 

We learned about different ways to produce energy, free of fossil fuels. Currently, coal is the fossil fuel that most of Pennsylvania gets its energy from. Coal is an expendable resource, so learning about independent energy is important so we can make exhibits to demonstrate this to the public.

This week’s visit helped us to get ready for next week to meet Albert Koller, a geologist, and invertebrate paleontologist at the Carnegie Museum. He will take us up to the geology hall and teach us about fossil fuels, the importance of Marcellus shale, and some aspects of exhibit design.