2007-01-25 14:34:40 · 6 answers · asked by M 2 in Environment
In the next 50 years or so , it's not very likely we're going to stop it, or even probably slow it down.
How can we reverse it - there are a couple of untried theories which might work.
1. It's painful but if we stop using fossil fuels - basically if we stopped using all oil/gas and coal, the planet would probably only warm another 3-7 degrees and global warming would start to reverse itself in about 300 to 500 years as the Earth soaked up th excess CO2.
2. Plant large equatorial forests, agressive desert reclaimation , aquifer restoration and then agressive reforestation of the Saharra and other equatorial deserts, Because of the location, and presumably an ample supply of water, trees will grow fast and use up CO2 in the process. This could not only stop but reverse global warming.
3. Mechanical CO2 carbon storage - it's being done today - it's just not very efficient, the Oil and Gas guys figured this out - go figure why it they like the idea of putting CO2 where the oil and gas used to be.
4. Sulphur cloud generation, create factories which create sulphur pollution (like in the 1970's) , this will create acid rain but will cool the planet - this was actually suggested recently as a "fix" .
5. Seed the oceans with diatomes - small organisms made of elaborate calcium-carbonate for skeletons, when they die they sink from the surface where they live and become sediment on the sea-floor. (This may not work but it's been suggested that it could work.)
6. Solar sheilding - large orbiting solar sheilds - big circular disks that would act like a sun-shield on the poles of the planet. They could be either opaque or translucent letting in light but not radiation. Many of these would be needed to create the needed cooling effects.
7. Do nothing - it's all good , in 50-60 years we run out of oil, in 50 or so years after that natural gas. coal won't run out for 300 years but you can't run a car or an airplane on coal so pretty much if you wait long enough, we'll run out of stuff to burn and then the global economy will more or less collapse due to environmental pressures.
Because unchecked use of fossil fuels will lead to some rather "unpleasant" circumstances. Like a few hundred million Asians who will need new places to live since water and food will become scarce where it is now plentiful (India and the Chinese lowlands).
The western 1/2 to 2/3rds of the US will become a serious desert when the summer water supplies/river sources (the Eastern Rocky Mountain watershed) starts to really dry up. Just ask the farmers in Montana about salt seep and water sharing nowadays.
Australia is already pretty much already screwed and becoming a much drier place, (voluntary (maybe someday manditory) water rationing, common multi-year long droughts, wildfires etc).
Pretty much because there will always be people who say it isn't so bad or isn't happening at all, or we don't need to spend money to fix that since it isn't a problem anyway
Personally ... I'm going to bet on #7 - I don't like it but it just seems more like Human nature - (see Humans!)
Do Nothing - The end of Oil (and most other things we take for granted) http://www.amazon.com/End-Oil-Edge-Perilous-World/dp/0618239774
Planetary Shield - http://www.androidworld.com/prod60.htm
Mechanical CO2 storage - http://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/proceedings/01/carbon_seq/p55.pdf
Organic CO2 storage - http://www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/purl/825265-gribrx/native/825265.pdf
Reforrestation - http://www.worldwatch.org/node/4487
Humans! - http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1834532365017960527&q=genre%3Aanimation+humans%21&hl=en
2007-01-25 15:15:48 · answer #1 · answered by Mark T 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Plant trees & cover the ground with plants. Use solar hot water & electricity. Use small, preferably hybrid or electric vehicles. Use bicycles or small (preferably electric) motorbikes. Use public transport. Minimise air travel (upper atmospheric pollution reduces solar efficiency). Buy energy efficient appliances and fluorescent lights, switch off at the power point ( for TV, computer etc.).Insulate your home, double glaze windows, thick 2 layer curtains, stay warm in summer (use fans or the new, low energy, ducted evaporative air conditioning, only use refrigerated air cond. if very hot , stay cool in winter, using reverse cycle air cond. or natural gas, not wood or oil (warm clothes& headwear), one room cool, others cold unless occupied, electric blanket on timer for two hrs before bedtime, then off (duna above, lambswool underlay below). Keep showers to 4 min.s ( wet, lather, rinse off). Wait for a full load for the washing machine/dishwasher. Encourage others, friends, neighbours school or workmates to not only do the same, but to encourage others in turn. Make a list of these ideas and post a copy at school or work, with some free copies for others. Give kudos to those doing a good job, tell the others that their behaviour is no longer acceptable in a world where freak weather events (hurricanes, floods, tornadoes etc.) are becoming more and more common due to global warming!
2007-01-26 00:13:16 · answer #2 · answered by CLICKHEREx 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sooo many things! This is a global problem that we, as Americans especially (because we pollute the most) can totally fix if we make changes now.
1. Drive less, drive electric cars, don't drive at all. Walk more, ride the bus and encourage automakers to make electric cars! They're cool, they don't stink and they don't pollute nearly as much.
2. Change your home energy source to renewable resources. If you use electric, switch to wind, solar, biomass or water powered. If you use oil heat, switch to biodiesel. Get more energy efficient appliances. Turn off the lights, use flourescent bulbs, unplug things you're not using.
3. Basically, imagine that every bit of fuel you use you had to squeeze it out of a bean. Then you're going to be more likely to use it conscientiously than if you never see the effort it takes to get it.
4. Talk to your friends and family and law makers especially about the importance of making little changes in our lives.
5. Stay informed. Calculate your carbon output (the tons of carbon dioxide that you personally produce) and work on minimizing it. There are so many ways! I just reduced my from 5.2 tons to negative 3 tons in less than a week!
6. Check out these websites:
Biodiesel
http://www.biodiesel.org/
CO2 Calculator
http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator/
Get the info...
http://www.climatecrisis.org
Good news...
http://www.odemagazine.com/
If you hate something, then change something
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwRCBHhyrAA
MPG
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/
National Coalition for our Environment
http://www.saveourenvironment.org/
Polar bears
http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/
US Dept of Energy
http://www.eere.energy.gov/
This one's very cool...
http://www.idealbite.com/
2007-01-25 23:22:09 · answer #3 · answered by Sararyn 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Global warming is caused by the wearing down of the ozone layer. Greenhouse gasses and refrigerators contribute to this. Cars and oil factories pollute and wear down the ozone layer further. The least anyone can do is try to minimize their ime in the car, or carpool with someone.
2007-01-25 22:52:03 · answer #4 · answered by Teenager 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
the global warming causes by many factors :
so we can not stoped it completely we can stop developing of it
for this we can use national transformation system like : bus taxi and etc. more than ever .
2007-01-25 22:51:05 · answer #5 · answered by Alex Tailor 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Very original question.
2007-01-25 23:08:50 · answer #6 · answered by nomad 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋