Earth Day

Eco-Jeopardy - Round 1

Potent Pollutants | Recycle Scramble | Eco-Motion | Good Earth-Keeping | Alternative Energy | Fit to Drink

Potent Pollutants 200

Potent Pollutants 400

  • Nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide can cause this type of harmful rain. 
  • What is acid rain?
  • Acid rain forms high in the atmosphere when certain gases, mainly sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), mix with water vapor and sunlight.  The pollutants that cause acid rain come from motor vehicles (cars, trucks, SUVs), power plants and other industries.  Acid rain harms the environment by polluting water and harming aquatic life and damaging crops and other plants.  It also damages man-made structures such as statues and buildings. For more information on acid rain, visit:

Potent Pollutants 600

Potent Pollutants 800

  • This air pollutant is often found in old buildings and can cause cancer. 
  • What is asbestos?
  • Asbestos is a general name given to some types of naturally occurring minerals.  Asbestos can be separated into very fine and extremely durable fibers that were used for decades in construction materials, insulation, fire retardants, automotive parts and other products.  Asbestos is known to cause certain types of cancer and respiratory diseases.  There are now substitutes for asbestos and it has been removed from many buildings.  For more information on asbestos, visit:

Potent Pollutants 1000

Recycle Scramble 200-1,000

Eco-Motion 200

  • One of the biggest sources of air pollution. 
  • What are motor vehicles (cars, trucks, and SUVs)? 
  • "Mobile sources" is a term used to describe a wide variety of vehicles, engines and equipment that generate air pollution and that move or can be moved from place to place.  In numerous cities across the country, the personal automobile is the single greatest polluter, as emissions from millions of vehicles on the road add up.  Driving alone in a car is probably a typical citizen’s most “polluting” daily activity. For more information on mobile source pollution, visit:

Eco-Motion 400

  • Instead of driving alone, this can save gas and reduce air pollution. 
  • What is carpooling?
  • A carpool is a group of commuters who live and work near each other and who share the same approximate work hours. Carpooling is encouraged to reduce emissions. For more information on carpooling, visit:  www.erideshare.com or view www.scdhec.gov/administration/library/CR-007047.pdf#page=2

Eco-Motion 600

Eco-Motion 800

  • Many cities reduce car use by offering this system of buses, trains, and subways. 
  • What is public transportation?
  • Public transportation is vital to jobs, economic expansion and quality of life in our community. Riding the bus can be inexpensive, convenient and comfortable. It also saves wear and tear on personal vehicles while reducing traffic congestion and air pollution. For more information on the benefits of public transportation, visit: 

Good Earth-Keeping 400

  • Having these in your yard shades your house, filters your air, and prevents runoff and erosion. 
  • What are trees?
  • Urban trees and vegetation improve air quality in several ways.  They absorb and filter pollutants from the air.  By shading buildings, they lower demand for electricity used by air conditioners, thereby helping to decrease emissions from power plants.  If widely planted throughout a community, trees can cool the air and slow the temperature-dependent reaction that forms ground-level ozone pollution.  Trees, especially native species, can also provide food and habitat for animals. For more information on the environmental benefits of trees, visit:

Good Earth-Keeping 600

  • Give waste the brush.  Save water and energy by turning off the faucet while you do this. 
  • What is brushing your teeth?
  • Letting your faucet run for five minutes uses about as much energy as letting a 60-watt light bulb run for 14 hours!!  By reducing household water use you can not only help reduce the energy required to supply and treat public water supplies but also can help address climate change. Conserving water saves money and means there is more water available to go around. For more information on water and energy efficiency, visit:

Good Earth-Keeping 800

  • Burning household trash in these pollutes the air and is against the law.
  • What are burn barrels?
  • Never burn household garbage; it is illegal in South Carolina.  Many plastics and other materials in household garbage release hazardous air pollutants when burned.  By reducing waste, recycling and composting you will help save landfill space. Burning yard debris (leaves, grass clippings, branches) may be legal at certain times and under certain conditions.  Learn the local regulations before you burn anything.  Yard debris can also be composted and used in home gardens. For more information on open burning laws, visit:  www.scdhec.gov/environment/baq/openburning.aspx

Good Earth-Keeping 1000

  • Save time and fuel by organizing errands into one driving trip. 
  • What is trip-chaining?
  • When you start your car after it's been sitting for more than an hour, it pollutes up to five times more than when the engine is warm.  Combining errands into one sensible trip is more effective and reduces vehicle emissions.  The result is more time in your life, less traffic congestion and less air pollution.  Make a list and plan your route. For more information on trip-chaining and other tips for drivers, visit:

Alternative Energy 200

  • Resources such as coal and oil will run out someday.  Resources that won’t run out are called this. 
  • What are renewable resources?
  • Most of the energy supply in the United States is generated by burning fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and oil. These forms of non-renewable energy produce greenhouse gases and other pollutants.  Sources of renewable energy, or “green” power, include wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, landfill gas and hydro power.  For more information on renewable energy, visit: www.epa.gov/energy/renwenergy.html

Alternative Energy 400

  • This source of renewable energy comes from the sun. 
  • What is solar energy?
  • Solar energy is considered environmentally friendly because the sun is a natural energy source that does not require the burning of fossil fuels to provide heat or electricity.  In addition, it is also considered renewable since the energy produced from the sun does not deplete any natural resources and will never run out. For more information on solar energy, visit: www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/ 

Alternative Energy 600

  • The fuel E-85 contains ethanol, which can be made from these crops. 
  • What are corn and soybeans?
  • Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from plants.  Essentially non-drinkable grain alcohol, ethanol is produced by fermenting plant sugars.  It can be made from corn, soybeans, sugar cane and other starchy agricultural products.  Vehicles must be specially designed to run on E-85.  E-10, a blend of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline, is available in many areas across the United States and can be used in any gasoline vehicle manufactured after 1980.  Using E-85 reduces greenhouse gas emissions.  A similar fuel is biodiesel, made from vegetable oils. For more information on ethanol and biodiesel, visit:

Alternative Energy 800

  • This gas is created when garbage decomposes in landfills.  It can be captured and used for energy.
  • What is methane?
  • Landfill gas is the natural by-product of the decomposition of solid waste in landfills and is comprised primarily of carbon dioxide and methane.  Instead of allowing methane to escape into the air, it can be captured, converted and used as an energy source.  For more information on landfill methane, visit: www.epa.gov/lmop/index.htm

Fit to Drink 200

  • When neighbors don’t scoop, this type of waste can add large amounts of bacteria to nearby water.
  •  What is pet waste?
  • Pet waste is one source of the bacteria found in many of our nation’s water-bodies. While most bacteria are not harmful, some kinds can make people sick. Pet waste is a type of runoff pollutant that can be harmful.

Fit to Drink 400

  • More than 50 percent of South Carolina residents rely on this source for drinking water.
  • What is groundwater?
  • In South Carolina, forty percent (40%) of the population uses groundwater for drinking. Even though this water source is underground, it is still possible for groundwater to become polluted. Used motor oil, pesticides and other toxic materials, if spilled on the surface, could go down into the groundwater. To learn more about groundwater, visit: groundwater.org/

Fit to Drink 600

  • (Video)  To measure water turbidity, or clarity, you lower this into the water and look down at it.
  • What is a Secchi disk?
  • When surface waters are not clear, it is because there are particles and sediments in the water. The particles can be pollutants or excess levels of algae. Using a Secchi disk to check water clarity is easy and doesn’t cost much. To learn more about secchi disks, visit: dipin.kent.edu/secchi.htm

Fit to Drink 800

  • Found in fertilizers and cleaning products, this element is both essential and a pollutant. 
  • What is phosphorous?or phosphates?
  • Phosphorus is an element that is found in nature. But when too much phosphorus gets into bodies of water it can be a problem - too many algae grow which can make the water murky and keep light from plants that grow under the water. When the algae die and decompose, oxygen is used up, which means there is less oxygen for other things living in the water.

Fit to Drink 1000