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Energy and the John Muir Way

We need energy for lots of things at home, at school and when we're out and about. How that energy is generated and supplied can have a big impact on the environment.

In this article you can learn about:

  • the John Muir Way
  • different kinds of energy
  • the impact on the environment of different energy sources

This article is suitable for learning about People, Place and Environment topics in primary school.

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Video - Energy and the John Muir Way

Join Isla and Connor as they learn about different ways energy is generated, as they walk along the John Muir Way.

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What is the John Muir Way?

Who was John Muir?

Black and white portrait of John Muir
Image caption,
John Muir (GL Archive/Alamy Stock Photo)

John Muir was born in Dunbar in 1838. His family left Scotland for America when he was ten years old.

He became famous for his writing about the natural world, studying rocks, plants and animals, and his work preserving and protecting areas of outstanding beauty, including Yosemite National Park in California.

The John Muir Way was opened in 2014 to mark the 100th anniversary of his death.

Black and white portrait of John Muir
Image caption,
John Muir (GL Archive/Alamy Stock Photo)

Where does the John Muir Way start and end?

 Map of the John Muir Way starting in Helensburgh and ending in Dunbar

The John Muir Way runs between Helensburgh on the west coast of Scotland, (the port where Muir left Scotland for America), and Dunbar on the east coast (where Muir was born).

The route is 134 miles (215 km) long, and is popular with walkers and cyclists.

Click through the slideshow below to find out about some of the interesting places you might visit along the John Muir Way.

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 10, A view of Loch Lomond from Balloch shores. There is a boat and a snow-capped mountain in the background., Loch Lomond The first stretch of the John Muir Way begins in Helensburgh and ends at Balloch, on the shores of Loch Lomond. This is a popular spot for visitors, and it is very fitting that it is in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. John Muir was one of the key figures in establishing the very first National Parks, in America in the 1860s. (Phil Seale/Alamy Stock Photo)
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Sources of energy

Energy can be generated from many different sources. Some of these sources are less harmful to the environment than others.

There are two types of energy: renewable and non-renewable.

  • Renewable energy sources include the sun, sea and wind.

These sources are not used up when we use them to generate energy. That means that they are renewable. Developing new technology like solar panels to heat homes encourages people to use more renewable energy and helps the environment.

  • Non-renewable energy sources include coal, oil and gas.

These are burned to release the energy they contain, which also releases harmful gases into the air. Once fossil fuels are burned, they are used up. This makes them non-renewable. Most vehicles use non-renewable energy, and that is why they are harmful to the environment.

Here are some examples of both types of energy sources.

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 6, Two diggers digging for coal in Glentaggart mine , Coal Coal is a non-renewable energy source. It is made from ancient trees which have buried under soil and other material, creating huge pressure. This pressure, along with natural heat from the core of the Earth compresses the trees and other material to form coal. To use coal as a fuel, it has to be excavated or mined from the ground, and then burned. This picture shows Glentaggart open-cast mine in Lanarkshire, which closed in 2011. Open-cast mines are where coal is close to the surface and can be reached by removing the layers of earth and rock above the coal. (Global Warming Images/Alamy Stock Photo)

Energy in Scotland

In Scotland, we no longer mine for coal. This was a huge change in industry in areas like Ayrshire, Fife and Lanarkshire that had many mining communities. Many people were left without work and had to retrain to find jobs in different industries.

Nuclear power production is also coming to an end. The only remaining operational station is Torness, in East Lothian, and that is due to stop generating electricity in 2028.

Even though people are concerned about climate change and damage to the seabed, oil and gas drilling in the North Sea continues to provide fuel for transport, heating and for generating electricity. However there are plans to reduce how much we use fossil fuels. Scotland has a target that by 2030, half of heat, transport and electricity use in Scotland will be from energy sources.

Learn more about different types of energy here: Energy sources and sustainability

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Key words about energy

- useable power, usually taken from other resources

- energy from a source that can be easily replaced or replenished, including wind and solar

- energy from sources that cannot be easily replaced or replenished after use, including oil and gas

- natural fuel such as coal and gas, made from compressed fossils

- an area of the countryside that is protected by law to look after the landscape and wildlife.

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Test your knowledge

Quiz

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Challenge

Design a poster to appear at key points along the John Muir Way to encourage visitors to take care of the environment.

Have a think about:

  • how to make it eye-catching (maybe a slogan, or an image)

  • what might persuade people to think more about the environment and make changes

  • how you can appeal to the people who use the John Muir Way to look after it.

Learn more about designing posters with 2nd level English and literacy: How to make a poster

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Our landscape

Young people who live in communities along the John Muir Way worked with the LAB team at 大象传媒 Scotland to make short films about some of their local landmarks. Watch as they share information about their local community, in the past and the present day.

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More to learn about energy and the John Muir Way

Energy and sustainability

Learn more about types of energy and sustainability with our topic

Energy and sustainability

The John Muir Way audio

Listen to this episode of Scotland Outdoors where Mark and Euan walk the John Muir Way

The John Muir Way

Make your poster eye-catching by following these simple rules

How to make a poster
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