You have to start a project on a topic you know little about. How do you even know what questions to ask?
You Google something, and get 2 million results (some of them bad). Hopefully, the first ten are the ones you are looking for...or is there another way?
What you need is a way to find overview information, so you get a feel for what options are out there, what 'the experts' think about the topic, and generally get a feel for the overall scope or magnitude of the issue. Sometimes it is hard to find these kinds of resources amidst all the specific bits of information floating around the internet.
So, where to start?
Wikipedia isn't too bad as a start, although not to finish.
The Libraries have licensed various databases, such as Gale in Context: Environmental Studies, that may be of use.
Popular journals, such as Nature, Science, Scientific American, and New Scientist publish special issues on topics throughout the year.
Some examples include:
Once you have a feel for the overall topic and the vocabulary and language used, then you can dive into the research.