The photos of birds killed by bellies full of plastic waste are harrowing - but why do they eat the stuff in the first place? The OU's Miranda Dyson explains.

Pakistan will have to prepare for ever rising temperatures - and the threats that brings with it.

Test your knowledge about plastics in our oceans, and learn about how they impact the environment by clicking on the image below...

Dr David Assinder takes a look ahead at the next 50 years and explores the changes to our oceans. 

It's such a key part of our lives - but what exactly is plastic, and how does it work?

Coral bleaching is being reported at unprecedented levels, caused by rising sea temperatures. Researchers explain what's going on.

Climate crisis is one of the grand challenges we face as a society, but it can be hard to approach as a subject. Not only can the science at times seem dauntingly complex, but the solutions are also far from clear. This leaves many people feeling confused, guilty, anxious, angry, or else completely switched off from the subject. This course ...

This free course, Exploring economics: the secret life of t-shirts, aims to describe what goes into making and selling t-shirts. Which resources, which markets, who is involved, the income people get, the income and value they create are all discussed. You will explore these questions at different stages of the production of a t-shirt, and ...

Energy resources are essential for any society, be it one dependent on subsistence farming or an industrialised country. There are many different sources of energy, some well-known such as coal or petroleum, others less so, such as tides or the heat inside the Earth. Is nuclear power a salvation or a nightmare? This free course, An introduction ...

What affects the atmospheric and ocean flows? This free course, Environment: understanding atmospheric and ocean flows, explores the mechanisms that are important; the most rapid carrier is the wind. The basic principle of global atmospheric circulation is simple: warm air rises and cold air sinks. How does this principle affect the ...

What is ecology and why is it important to our understanding of the world around us? This free course, Introducing the environment: Ecology and ecosystems, looks at how we can study ecosystems to explore the effect that humans are having on the environment.

Effects of pollutants on the aquatic environment is a free course. It begins with an introduction to water and goes on to briefly outline the major sources of water pollution (these being sewage works, manufacturing and industrial plants, the farming and animal husbandry sectors, landfill sites and urban surface water run-off). It considers ...

This free course, The science of nuclear energy, will delve into the science behind nuclear power and explain what happens inside a nuclear reactor and what it means for an element to be radioactive. It will explore some of the risks of producing nuclear power and examine the arguments for and against including it in future energy planning as ...

The search for sustainable energy will dominate the twenty-first century. This free course, An introduction to sustainable energy, provides an introductory overview of the present energy systems and takes a brief look at where the world may find energy in the future - cleaner use of fossil fuels or renewable energy sources?

This free course, Transport and sustainability, explores the issues around sustainable transport and how the role of technology and society can interact to lower the overall impact of transport.

Matthew Cole and Kate Stewart explore why veganism stimulates such aggressive responses. 

A psychologist‘s intimate experience with Extinction Rebellion

What can Extinction Rebellion tell us about how to solve the political crisis at the heart of climate change?

Who do we think we are when it comes to other animals?- asks Matthew Cole and Kate Stewart.

On International Day for Biodiversity (22 May), maybe it's time you considered the impact of the production of ‘good’ food on biodiversity

The supermarket chain Iceland was the first supermarket to remove palm oil from its product ranges, a decision that was applauded yet quickly gathered controversy. 

Reading news about animals as modern-day fables alerts us to human beings’ vulnerability to climate change. What moral lesson about sustainable futures are exposed by restorying news of animals in the context of climate change?

Old computers, knackered telly sets and phones that are so last year: How much of this discarded stuff is piling up?

At the UN climate summit, a group of countries has undertaken to end the use and the financing of coal.

Planting trees seems to be a good thing, ecologically. But... what if the saplings come wrapped in plastic bags? Kenyan Teddy Kinyanjui has come up with an elegant solution to take the plastic out of the forest.

We ask the question ‘Can renewable energy sources power the world?’ as a response to the growing awareness that increased use of renewable energy technologies is making a major contribution to global efforts to limit anthropogenic climate change. The course begins by examining the environmental concerns that have caused a rise in interest in ...

Human societies have to take urgent action to end their dependences on fossil fuels. We have to alter the whole path of our development and decision making in order to make our societies both environmentally adaptable and sustainable. This free course, Climate change, takes on the task of trying to chart some of the ways in which it might be ...

This free course, Waste management and environmentalism in China, is an introduction to waste generation and waste management processes currently being practiced in China. This course explores how the Chinese can deal with increasing volumes of waste, drawing parallels with the UK experience of waste management. It also discusses the conceptual ...

When you consider that the global annual consumption of primary energy increased more than ten-fold during the 20th Century, the importance of planning future energy supply becomes clear. Future energy demand and supply is a free course that offers an introduction to how this is being undertaken.

Global warming: are we responsible? Is our environmental impact damaging the planet? This free course, Working with our environment: an introduction, examines the use of ozone-depleting technology, the impact of fossil fuel use and explores how the development of technology can influence the direction of a society. From the Industrial Revolution...

How much do you think about what you throw away? Do you know what happens to the things you chuck out? Find out more about waste and recycling with our FREE resources:

Every time you wash your clothes, microfibres escape into the environment. And that, explains Dr Natalie Welden, is a huge threat to our oceans.

The UK could reduce its emissions by converting farmland to absorb more carbon dioxide − but risks increasing climate change effects abroad.

Responding to the climate crisis can feel overwhelming. There are so many things we can do to be greener that it's hard to know where to start. 

This free course, Eating for the environment, will explore the links between food, nutrition and environmental sustainability.

Environment: treading lightly on the Earth focuses on the problem of greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide. This free course will give you an understanding of the nature and importance of carbon footprints of individuals and households. It will enable you to measure your own carbon footprint and explore what you could do to reduce ...

Themes covered in this free course, Energy in buildings, include reducing heating demand in buildings, heating systems and fuel emissions, and reducing electricity use by appliances. The course looks at the importance of energy in buildings in the UK, investigate heat loss and how to prevent it, ways of increasing building efficiency, ...