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TED-Ed

How scientists turn lakes into giant batteries

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20,183 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

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As of 2020, the world’s biggest lithium-ion battery is hooked up to the Southern California power grid and can provide enough power for about 250,000 homes. But it's actually not the biggest battery in the world: a pair of lakes are. How can lakes be a battery? Explore how inventors are rethinking what a battery can be, and how these surprising solutions could help us achieve a sustainable future.

Additional Resources for you to Explore

Building a sustainable future will require a multi-faceted approach. Read the book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, by Bill Gates to dive into a detailed plan to bring global greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero.

While there are big changes governments and businesses will need to make, there are meaningful and effective changes individuals can make in their daily lives as well. Use this carbon footprint calculator created by the Global Footprint Network to measure your carbon footprint. But what’s next? Many people struggle to identify how they can offset their carbon footprint or what action they can take. Project Drawdown’s ecochallenge has you covered. It outlines a series of one-time or daily actions you can take individually, with a group of friends, or coworkers to make a difference in your community.

Our changing climate involves many complex and interconnected issues, and one of the best ways to understand them is to have more conversations about them. The World Climate Simulation allows you to do just that by role playing and simulating UN climate negotiations. Finally, watch this TED animation to learn what is net-zero and why it is our shared goal to build a better future.

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Meet The Creators

Director
Lisa LaBracio
Narrator
Jack Cutmore-Scott
Storyboard Artist
Wing Luo
Illustrator
Luísa Holanda
Art Director
Luísa Holanda
Animator
Murilo Jardim
Music
André Aires
Sound Designer
André Aires
Hype Producer
Taíla Soliman
Director of Production
Gerta Xhelo
Hype Executive Producer
Gabriel Garcia
Editorial Director
Alex Rosenthal
Producer
Bethany Cutmore-Scott
Editorial Producer
Elizabeth Cox
Script Editor
George Zaidan
Fact-Checker
Jennifer Nam

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