A possible solution to global warming?

Question

US urges scientists to block out sun:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/us-urges-scientists-to-block-out-sun/2007/01/28/1169919213362.html

Answer 1

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 you might ask - 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

Answer 2

This is a tricky one...

Can it work to stabilize the mean global temperature? Yes - by reducing insolation (net incoming solar radiation) we could adjust the NET energy balance and reduce global temperatures.

But - and it's a big but -

This is not the same as reversing the effects of global warming. The mean temperature is not the only issue; the temperature regime (the diurnal patterns of high and low temperatures) is also very important to the climate system. For somewhat complex reasons this solution would lead to lower variation between daytime and nighttime temps.

So a solution? No, it falls short of that. It's also important that anything we do be reversible, in case it has unintended consequences: this is the "precautionary principle" in resource management - when in doubt don't cause damage you can't fix.

Answer 3

It sounds kinda ridiculous to me. A better idea would be to break our oil habit which would have the side benefits of reducing funding to terrorist regimes that hate us and to big oil execs who fleece us. Electric cars are the future, but the oil companies and car manufacturers will fight this. Watch the movie "who killed the electric car". Also check out Tesla Motors. They have SUCH a fine electric roadster (if you can afford it). The least every individual can do is get rid of their gas guzzler and get an economy car or truck, if you can't afford electric. My next vehicle will be electric, but for now I drive a small fuel efficient 4 cylinder.
Also, solar energy can be harnessed in active and passive ways to heat our homes, heat our water, power our new electric vehicles, etc. Why block it?? We might need it to power our air conditioners someday.
Just my opinion.

Answer 4

Global warming is in theory reversable,but it will mean global co operation between all countries ,and taking into account human nature and the world politics ,it is unlikely that this will happen,

At least not untill we are all in the middle of planetary disastres and it becomes a battle for the survival of humanity every where.

SOLUTIONS
if you want to help the planet ,plant a tree every week ,if everyone on the planet did we we would be able to reverse the destructive processes

reduce carbon emisions,and they are already working on that by alternative forms of energy and regulations on carbon producing materials,aerosol cans,burning rubbish,industrial chimneys,powerplants etc.

the capture of carbon and the production of water and assist the aquiferous manta.

the world bank pays large subsidies for reforrestation to capture carbon and the best tree for this is the Pawlonia

Waterharvesting projects ,such as millions of small dams.to redirect over ground waterflows from the rains into the ground to supply subteranian water supplies.

the protection of existing forrests.

stop building more highways,urban planning to include vegetation stop building cities encourage people to return to the land to conduct their business from there which now has become possible thanks to the internet.

education to motivate people to auto sufficiency by building more home food gardens.

education on environmental awareness
education on family planning to curb over´populaion

Agricultural education and improvements to follow the principals or sustainability and soil management.

more environmental or land ,design to prevent bush fires,such as--fire breaks

,more dams.regulations and control for public behaviour

alternative effeciant public transport to discourage the use of the internal conbustion engine

recicling wastes,limit water use

i am a Permaculture Consultant for the department of Ecology for the regional government in Guerrero Mexico
http://spaces.msn.com/byderule

Source(s) Lester E Brown is the director and founder of the global institute of Environment in the United states .he has compiled a report based on all the satalite information available from NASA,and all the information that has
come from Universities and American embassies WORLD WIDE ,
his little book--a planet under stress , Plan B has been trans lated into 50 languages and won the best book award in 2003.

Answer 5

I believe we (i.e. homosapiens of this planet) should begin planting as many plants and trees and forests as possible. It would appear that a large buffer of plant life is our best bet at stabilizing the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Besides, it looks nice too !
Unfortunately we are going in the opposite direction. Aggressive reforestation and replanting would be cheap and effective.
And it would give us more shade even if warming continues !

Answer 6

a super sort of human beings have erroneous perspectives in this situation. growing to be greater flora isn't a protracted term answer to resolving climate exchange. What you're speaking approximately is conventional as bio-char carbon sequestration. It ability rather of carbon being saved in flora (which die --> decompose --> and the carbon is positioned lower back in the ambience) the carbon is saved in sturdy variety and can final for tens of millions of years. that's the long term answer to international warming.

Answer 7

Huge foil refectors would help. have a alluminum foil company make some huge rolls and go up in space and roll them out.It would take many years to do it and trillions of dollars.but it would be worth it.

or just come up with a virus to kill of most humans.I like that idea best

Answer 8

the article mentioned World Governments...???World is one ain't it? and "s" added to "government"??
how are they gonna do this when the ozone layer in the south pole is getting thinner by the second letting in more UV rays????
this can't be the only solutiuon ..right? "block the sun"?? what the-are they talking about??

Answer 9

Only in America

Answer 10

Or use sun energy to make electricty