The Methane Munchers – Borris Vocational School

Why as a team did you choose to focus on this challenge?

We chose to focus on this challenge because climate change is a major problem across the world that effects everyone. The whole world needs to work together to prevent climate change, which is why this topic interested us so much. If we don't, our world will suffer so we think actions have to be taken to prevent in as soon as possible. We have been inspired by many people such as Greta Thunberg and documentaries such as 'Our Planet'

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What do you know now about the challenge that you didn't know before?

One thing we have learned is how methane is a big factor in climate change and that there is many ways we can reduce the amount of it. We have also learned how climate change effects our earth and the consequences if we don't take actions to prevent it.

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What have you learnt about your Hero?

Our hero is Nigel and the challenge he faces is that if his farm keeps excreting methane, global warming will stay taking place. If global warming takes place, Nigels animals won't be able to survive the new temperature as they wouldn't be climatized to it. There is a chance the crops also won't be able to grow and Nigels farm would then not be able to survive. When ice bergs melt, the sea levels will rise causing coastal areas on countries to flood. This means there's chance Nigel's farm could be submerged under water too.

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If you could improve one thing for your Hero what would that be?

If I could improve one thing for Nigel, it would be that the heat of the atmosphere won't rise, so that his farm animals can live a healthy life and his crops can grow perfectly like they have been. If the temperatures don’t rise, Nigel won’t have a risk of his farm flooding because of rising sea levels also. Nigel wouldn’t have to worry about losing his farm.

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Do you have any ideas for a potential solution? No matter how raw, share them with your Mentors for feedback.

Our solution to try prevent the climate change would be to get farmers to install a methane extractor on the inside of a cowshed on the roof so it will extract the methane that the cows are excreting. The methane extractor will filter the gases, put the metthane that can be used as energy in a tank on the side of the shed, where it can be stored and used to power methane tractors

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Ask your Mentor anything …. This is a chance to ask your Mentors a direct question relating to your Big Idea.

Do you think if you are a farmer, you would be interested in installing our big idea, to prevent climate change, or do you know any farmers that would want to bring our idea to life?