10th Grade Extended Research Project (ERP): 7 - Affordable & Clean Energy

William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi, a country where magic ruled and modern science was mystery. It was also a land withered by drought and hunger. But William had read about windmills, and he dreamed of building one that would bring to his small village a set of luxuries that only 2 percent of Malawians could enjoy: electricity and running water. His neighbors called him misala--crazy--but William refused to let go of his dreams. With a small pile of once-forgotten science textbooks; some scrap metal, tractor parts, and bicycle halves; and an armory of curiosity and determination, he embarked on a daring plan to forge an unlikely contraption and small miracle that would change the lives around him. AVAILABLE: WSA Library, Kitsap Regional Library, and Port Townsend Library

Intended for the general reader, this accessible book explores how algae influence human life and what role they may play in the future. Kassinger’s loose style shifts from the origins of life on Earth and the role of seaweed in the evolution of our species to modern seaweed farmers in South Korea, scientists using algae to clean dead zones in waterways and others using algae to solve urgent energy problems, and entrepreneurs developing algae fuel and plastics. An appendix provides recipes for incorporating algae in the diet. AVAILABLE: WSA Library and Kitsap Regional Library