A List of Suggestions for Environmental Science Research Paper Topics

Environmental science is a field that mixes the natural world with scientific theory. Although there are many outdoor courses, laboratory sessions and study requirements, many classes also require students in this academic field to create a research paper. To get a good score in the class, students must create an interesting, well-written research paper. By picking a topic early, students can get a head start on the entire writing process. For thesis statement ideas and research topics, read through the following ideas.

Research Paper Topics for Environmental Science

1. One chilling warning for modern people is the tale of Easter Island. Long ago, the residents of Easter Island used the wood on the island to build gigantic statues. By wasting the island's resources, the people ultimately became extinct once the island was treeless and devoid of food.
2. Spanning 5.7 million square kilometers, the Amazon rain forest has been depleted by 1/6th of the tress over the last few decades. This slash-and-burn technique may boost the economy and agricultural production, but it is weakening the rain forests and the soil.
3. Choose a particular endangered animal. What are some of the factors that are causing that animal to go extinct? How could this extinction be prevented?
4. At what point will the world run out of oil? Do lower oil prices encourage people to use more gas than they normally would?
5. It takes years and years to create a coral reef. This living organism is a source of biodiversity that hosts other plants and fish. According to some scientists, the coral reefs will be extinct by 2050 due to poaching, tourism and global warming.
6. Invasive species may be released by pet owners or carried over on planes and ships. The black rat was one case where an invasive species caused unforeseeable levels of devastation. This species contributed to the spread of the Black Plague, the extinction of several wildlife species and the death of seabirds on several islands.
7. Most people wash their fruit and vegetables before they eat them. This is supposed to remove pesticides and herbicides from the surface of the fruit. How effective is washing fruit with water at actually removing pesticides?
8. Some towns charge homeowners for each bag of garbage as an attempt to encourage recycling. How does recycling compare in these towns to other towns that do not charge for depositing garbage?
9. Are solar panels actually environmentally friendly? How should the panels be disposed of to be truly better for the environment?
10. How can geologists tell what carbon levels were at different points in human history?