Stage 1: Identify

Due May 15

1 sheet per problem/issue

I. Current Biotech Issue/problem that needs to be solved:

- 1. GMO related
- Super bright pGLo (Robert)
- 3. Environment (LEXI)
- acidity of oceans
- coral dying
- acid resistant coral
- 2. Growing food in really hot areas. Desert? Africa? Taylor
- Contained environment ( ny biosphere)

I. Current Biotech Issue/problem that needs to be solved: (Robert Orta)

- Issue is that
- too many carbon emissions/greenhouse gases
- areas that are unsustainable for plants/animals
- deser fica on
- ocean acidifica on, helps us stop it.
- Malthusian theory states the undoing of humanity if we don´t
produce enough food, terraforming land helps us make food.
- TERRAFORMING is the answer

h ps://www.newscien st.com/ar cle/mg22029382-500-terraforming-earth-geoe

ngineering-megaplan-starts-now/

h p://www.hopesandfears.com/hopes/future/science/213981-terraform-earth

Biosphere 2!!!!!!

Area(s) of Challenge: (food, health, etc)

Food is the main point that terraforming can create, it makes condi ons be er for
crops to grow.

Who is impacted by the problem:

Farmers and LDCs (less developed countries) as food with high amounts of
nutri on is hard to find. Environments are being taken over by humans, including
means such as deforesta on, ocean acidifica on, and deser fica on.

Previously a empted solu ons and limita ons of solu ons

1. No real large scale projects, but theore cally transforming deserts into
agricultural land or forests.
h ps://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/03/8-craziest-mega-engineering-proje
cts-we-could-use-to-rework-the-earth/
2. Same link, assis ng species to migrate and ensuring their safety.
(Terraforming through ensuring the survival/contribu on of species.)
3. Capturing carbon in large facili es so the atmosphere isn´t too thick/traps
heat too much.

Bonus.
h ps://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/ar cle/ypw47m/the-challenge-of-recrea n
g-earth

Example of lack of terraforming leading to the destruc on of the Biosphere

ecosystem
Current Biotech Issue/problem that needs to be solved: (Nihal)

● Improving the nutrient value of fruits and vegetables (Biofor fica on)
● Solving malnutri on, by adding nutri on to food
● Could help reduce human popula on because of be er health, lowering
birth rates.

Area(s) of Challenge: (food, health, etc)

● Food, Health,

Who is impacted by the problem:

● Humans, Farmers, Agricultural Companies, Patent-holders

Previously a empted solu ons and limita ons of solu ons

1. Zinc Crops: Yet to be tested for effec veness

2. Orange Sweet Potato

(h ps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar cle/pii/S2211912417300068): Highly
cost effec ve; for each dollar in, $17 benefit is out.

3. Iron Pearl Millet:

(h ps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar cle/pii/S2211912417300068) :

Reduced iron deficiency in India, and Rwanda.

Current Biotech Issue/problem that needs to be solved: (Rachel)

People not having access to clean water.

Area(s) of Challenge: (food, health, etc)

Food and heath. Clean water affects farming, medicine, and educa on.

- Farming requires water clean enough to be used for crops.

- Clean water is necessary for cleaning cuts and preven ng infec on
- Women and girls spend hours walking to a clean water source. Girls should
be spending this me ge ng an educa on.

Who is impacted by the problem:

Most people in impoverished countries especially in Africa.

Young girls and women (Educa on)

Everyone (Medicine)

Everyone (Farming)

Previously a empted solu ons and limita ons of solu ons

1. WATERBIOTECH:

- Treats waste water to be used for farming, flushing toilets, industry. It can
not provide clean enough water for consump on. Does not help with
MEDICINE or EDUCATION issues. People s ll have to walk to get drinkable
water and the waste water s ll can be used to prevent infec on.
- h ps://cordis.europa.eu/result/rcn/92242_en.html

2. Aqua Via

- uses biological membranes

- Nanotechnology
- based on human cells
 - h ps://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickcox/2016/12/06/biotech-has-a-solu
on-for-the-clean-water-crisis/#481393ac69c4
- Requires precision
- expensive

3. WEMA

- Drought tolerant maize.

- Allows limited water resources to be diverted to medicine and drinking.
- h ps://www.scidev.net/sub-saharan-africa/biotechnology/news/african-go
vernments-promote-biotechnology.html
 ● Current Biotech Issue/problem that needs to be solved: ( ? )

Pollu on in our atmosphere is increasing, so we can modify plants so

they absorb more CO2 and release more O2 so we can have a healthier
atmosphere without having to plant more plants

● Area(s) of Challenge: (food, health, etc)

World health because we are all impacted by increased by CO2

emissions

● Who is impacted by the problem:

The ecosystem is affected and the world popula on is affected

Previously a empted solu ons and limita ons of solu ons

1. One limita on is that it would be hard to test it given the me limits we

have because we would have to figure out where in the DNA the intake of
carbon is controlled had figure out how to modify it
2. Another limita on is that we are high school students

● Current Biotech Issue/problem that needs to be solved:

We need to be er distribute the food we have to people who needs

it

● Area(s) of Challenge: (food, health, etc)

Food

● Who is impacted by the problem:

The people who are undernourished will benefit from food

Previously a empted solu ons and limita ons of solu ons

1. We don’t have the space here to grow that large number of food to send to
 places that need it
2. We don’t have the influence over large companies to convince them to send
their surplus to people who need it
3. This is already being put into place
4. Current Biotech Issue/problem that needs to be solved:
(Lexi)

l. Coral being affected by acidity of ocean which can hurt coral reefs around the
globe. I want to make coral like a drought resistant plant, I want to modify it so
that it can withstand the rising temperature and acidity of the ocean to buy more
me in solving climate change without the ecosystem breaking down in the
process.

Who is impacted by the problem:

ocean life and humans

Previously a empted solu ons and limita ons of solu ons

1. A high schoolers we can’t personally do something

2. Replan ng coral

3. Just limit amount of CO2 we use individual to impact the problem but hasn’t
made much of an effect

4.h p://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120905-save-our-dying-coral-reefs
I. Current Biotech Issue/problem that needs to be solved:

● Poten al alterna ve energy sources

Area(s) of Challenge: (food, health, etc)

Energy

Producing enough for the replacement of unclean sources

Waste
Limi ng impact and reversing previous impact
Who is impacted by the problem:

All people in developed areas

All humans who live on the pollu on filled planet Earth

Previously a empted solu ons and limita ons of solu ons

1. Electric cars

S ll causes pollu on in the construc on process

Limited effec veness in comparison to previously made gasoline based cars

2. Wind/solar power

Limited applica on based on the environment

Expensive set up

3. Biofuel

Not fully developed

Inefficient in comparison to gasoline

Requires a lab and funding for ini a on

II. Current Biotech Issue/problem that needs to be solved: ( ? )

● Plas c in the oceans

Area(s) of Challenge: (food, health, etc)

Waste

Who is impacted by the problem:

Ocean going humans and sea life

Consumers of fish

Previously a empted solu ons and limita ons of solu ons

1. Preventa ve measures(picking up trash, recycling)

Only stops more material from being added, doesn’t address current supply of
plas c in the ocean

Takes mass commitment from mul ple groups of people for minimal impact

2. Large scale collec on of trash in the ocean

Expensive

Takes a large amount of me to plan and execute

3. Reengineer plas c to be biodegradable

Doesn’t address current plas c in ocean

Requires commitment across the en re span of plas c making companies

Current Biotech Issue/problem that needs to be solved: (Rachel)

Diabetes and Insulin

Area(s) of Challenge: (food, health, etc)

Health

Who is impacted by the problem:

People with diabetes

Previously a empted solu ons and limita ons of solu ons

1. Insulin Pumps

- maintenance
- bulky
- makes you stand out
- hard for kids
- wan ng to play and run around

2. Carefully Die ng

- hard for people to maintain

- hard to know if you are injec ng the right amount of insulin

3. Insulin Shots

- have to carry them around

- having to stab yourself with a needle in a public place (restaurant)

My suggested solu on. Design a new style of insulin pump that is meant for kids
with type 1 diabetes.
 I. Current Biotech Issue/problem that needs to be solved: (LEXI)

Rising CO2, we can find a way to let the green house gasses out mannually.

Who is impacted by the problem:

Everyone!!

Previously a empted solu ons and limita ons of solu ons

1. A high schoolers we can’t personally do something

2. electric cars

3. Just limit amount of CO2 we use individual to impact the problem but hasn’t
made much of an effect

4. Solar energy
Stage 1: Identify

Due May 15

1 sheet per problem/issue

Current Biotech Issue/problem that needs to be solved:

Deforesta on

Area(s) of Challenge: (food, health, etc)

To reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere

To restore habitats

Who is impacted by the problem:

Everyone who breathes

Previously a empted solu ons and limita ons of solu ons

1. To re plant trees

2. Increasing reserves
3. Creating stricter laws
Stage 1: Identify

Due May 15

1 sheet per problem/issue

Current Biotech Issue/problem that needs to be solved:

Growing food in hot or small spaces

Area(s) of Challenge: (food, health, etc)

To distribute more food to more people

Who is impacted by the problem:

People who are not ge ng enough food because they live in places where it is
hard to grow food

Previously a empted solu ons and limita ons of solu ons

1. Weeds thrive under dry condi ons, but cost a lot of money to maintain

2. Ver cal farms

3. chinampas system- growing food on freshwater used by the aztecs