In the Box – Our Lady of the Snows High School, Canmore Alberta
Converting compost to biochar or fuel.
When compostable materials end up in landfills they produce methane due to the lack of oxygen. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Greenhouse gases contribute to one of the modern world’s greatest problems: the enhanced greenhouse effect and the resulting accelerated climate change. Project “In The Box” aims to keep greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere in three steps. 1) It aims to keep compostable waste out of landfills and reduce the need of transporting it, thus lowering methane and CO2 emissions. 2) It harnesses the energy stored in the biofuel waste and transforms it into thermal energy to heat water. 3) It allows for the capture of the carbon dioxide to be used as feedstock for accelerated growth of plants or even in the creation of pearl ash for soap as in Alberta’s very own CleanO2 (and CarbinX).
Team OLS plans to keep CO2 “In The Box” (while avoiding nasty methane) to help make our future cities more sustainable.
| Team Grade Level: | 11 |
| Team Experience Level: | Beginner |
| STEM Focus: | 3D Printing, Coding, Robotics, Synthetic Biology |
| UN Sustainability Focus | Sustainable Cities & Communities, Climate Action, Life on Land |
