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Also, could we genetically modify a tree to absorb more carbon faster?

2006-08-06 12:32:42 · 5 answers · asked by nicemachine 2 in Environment

5 answers

Well, it's tough to answer your question with a hard figure. It is estimated that plants (including trees) assimilate roughly 123 x 10^15 grams of CO2 per annum. If we assume that the amount of atmospheric CO2 is "bad" and we want to know how many trees it would take to remove that much CO2 (100%) we can figure that out:

Amount of CO2 in atmosphere: 740 x 10^15 grams

740/123 = ~6. So, we'd need to plant roughly 6 times as much "plant material" to take all of the CO2 out of the atmosphere.

Now, this would not only be nearly impossible, it would be devastating to the earth. CO2 plays a vital role in warming the earth. While water vapor is the chief "greenhouse gas," CO2 also absorbs reradiated heat energy that comes from the earth, trapping it in and keeping us warm.

Now, it is assumed that humans produce roughly 8 x 10^15 g of CO2 per annum. That means we'd need to increase the earth's global supply of plant "respirators" by roughly 6.5%. That's still a nasty task...and that's assuming that we do not continue to produce CO2 from fossil fuels and other sources (cement production is a large producer of CO2).

2006-08-06 12:54:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3 0

Let's just plant some kudzu and build 500 foot tall ladders and watch the CO2 disappear!!! [/sarcasm]

Global warming is about as real as my dream last night in which I had sex with Jessica and Ashlee Simpson on the 50 yard line during last year's Super Bowl.....

2006-08-06 21:06:01 · answer #2 · answered by Steve S 4 · 0 0

Just three. But I dont really believe in Global Warming. I think it is one of those myths and scare tactics used by media and people who are depriving a village of its Idiots.

2006-08-06 19:41:13 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

30% of the land should be covered with trees.

2006-08-06 20:39:11 · answer #4 · answered by nkmy83@yahoo.com 3 · 0 0

too many, because people keep cutting them down and keep polluting

2006-08-06 19:39:51 · answer #5 · answered by ttkp2006 1 · 0 0

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