can we take carbon out of the atmosphere if so why cant we start doing so to slow down the global warming?

Answer 1

Two answers:

1) you can take the carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, at least indirectly, by planting more plants. They absorb the CO2, and sequester it in their leaves. The problem is that it takes a long time for 1 tree to absorb a significant amount of carbon, and mankind is producing it at such a great rate that the trees can't keep up.

2) removing it chemically would take much more energy to accomplish it, and the production of that energy would probably release more carbon dioxide at the power plant (unless it was a nuclear plant) than you'd remove. The net effect would be to add CO2 to the atmosphere. And a nuclear plant, while not producing CO2, does produce other byproducts.

Answer 2

Because the current technologies to do that use more energy (production of which generates CO2). Preventing it from entering the atmosphere is a better option, logistally.

Answer 3

It's being considered, but we don't have a proven and cheap method. One idea is to seed the oceans with algae that will do this. Experiments are being done in laboratories to see if it would work.

Google CO2 sequestration for more info. Here's one website:

http://www.tva.gov/environment/air/ontheair/greenhouse_gas.htm