A solution to global warming, Could this work?

Question

Could a large umbrella-like satellite be put into synchronous orbit around the Sun in tandem with the Earth's orbit to reduce global warming?
Just a notion

...c'mon monkey, we don't need to completely shield the Earth, just filter part of the solar energy we directly recieve. I admit, I do not know the size of or distance such an object would need placed, perhaps someone knowlegable in such things will answer.

I agree that nature is to be mainly blamed for global warming since Mars is also warming. Who or whatever is to blame doesn't matter much if we cannot survive the event.

We do need to change our emission habits, reduce deforestation, as well as work toward cleaner energy sources but even if we DO make these changes, we may not see the effects until the warming trend has had major impacts on civilization.

that's just being silly vlad.

The first step to seeking solution to a problem should always be brainstorming to seek the possibility of various solutions. Some ideas will be better than others, but all possible ideas are valid (even bad ones). I do not believe that you throttle, have enough mental capacity to understand that.

Ahhh, finally a thoughtful answer. Thanks Mark.

Answer 1

A similar scheme has been proposed that involves the positioning of a global sunshade in space.

British astronomer Roger Angel has proposed creating such a shade some 1.5 million miles from earth, at the point where gravity from the sun and the earth balance - the L1 point. His sunshade would consist of 16 trillion individual glass discs, each one microscopically thin and weighing just one gram. On board each disc would be a tiny camera, computer and solar sails allowing each disc to align itself so as to refract light from the sun just enough so it misses Earth. Angel proposes using electro magnetically propelled launches, each one delivering a million discs into space.

More info - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/07/programmes_global_sunshade/html/1.stm

Answer 2

Yes, brilliant idea. Now, let see...the earth has a diameter of about 25,000 miles so we will want to cover up a decent chuck of it. Since only half the earth is in the sun at once we won't need to cover the whole thing...so how about just a couple of percent should make a difference....right? O.K. Got it...you stitch together about enough fabric to cover..say Ohio...and then find a rocket big enough to launch it (probably about the width of Cleveland if we can fold it up REALLY tight). And then zoom into space...wait won't some people get made because they will be in the shade all the time?....Shoot! Maybe this won't work after all....Dang it!

Wait...you said around the sun...not the earth. Yes, much better idea as that would block ALL light to the Earth. But we banned asbestos so what would we build it out of?

Global Warming is caused by NATURE. Wait and it will be Global Cooling again. Find a real hobby to spend your time on.

Answer 3

I'll try to be patient, but no, no, NO!

If you believe that global warming is caused by man via excess CO2 production, then what is the PRIMARY way to naturally remove CO2 from the atmosphere?

Photosynthesis.

What happens if solar energy reaching the Earth decreases?

Photosynthesis decreases.

Let me remind you that photosynthesis sustains the vast majority of life on the planet. Decreasing global photosynthesis decreases the sustainability of life on this planet. PERIOD.

Would you trust ANY governing body on this planet with ultimate control over all life forms?

I appreciate your concerns for the planet, but this idea is treating a "symptom" and not the "disease".

Answer 4

HAHAHA!!!! And how much fuel would need to be burned to get such a contraption off the ground? What about the environmental impact of that? What if it blows up on the launch pad and takes out all of cape canaveral?

You call vlad's idea "silly", but at least his won't need a bank of nuclear furnaces or billions of tons of fuel to power it into space. Let alone the cost.

This sort of extreme, over-reactive thinking is just the sort of stuff that is more likely to cause an environmental disaster than letting nature run it's course.

Let's focus on the real culprit here - we need to snuff out that pesky sun. I heard that 99.999999999% of all energy absorbed by the earth is caused by that annoying, perpetually lit star. What a waste! Let's run a hose up there and cool it down!

At the very least, let's start killing off excess humans sucking up our air. Most of them don't drive hybrids, and so are directly responsible for global warming, too. I mean, they are probably going to die anyway when all the arctic ice melts overnight and floods the coasts. Let's offer them a decent, honorable death. Drowning by bio diesel, or burned to a crisp by CFL bulbs.

Step up to the plate and offer yourself first as a sacrifice! You can be an inspiration to others, and save the planet, too!

Answer 5

i might not know how to stop global warming,but i do have some ideas of how to slow it down while we do think of an idea of how to stop it.
some people might not know this but, global warming is a result of many things that we contribute to (being humans), like:
1. leaving electricity using objects on over an unneeded period of time, all this does is create green house gases, thus wasting away the ozone layer (a once thick layer above the atmosphere of the earth). With the ozone layer being wasted away, the temperature of earth rises and rises, in result, heating up the polar ice caps around Antarctica. this whole cycle will be creating more an more water and flooding small islands around the Antarctic region, like chili and the Biscoe islands...

btw, if you don't understand some of my terminology, please forgive me, i am only 13 year old.. thanks for reading.
please turn off your electrics over night and when not needed.
THANK YOU!

Answer 6

First off putting it near the sun would require it to be tens of thousands of miles across as opposed to close to Earth where it'd only have to be a few hundred miles across. Second it'd have to be a few hundred miles across. We have to start living sustainably, in harmony with this planet rather than trying to wrestling it to the ground and there is no band-aid for the change in mind set that's required to do that, and maybe a brush with extinction is what's needed to bring about that change in mind set.

Answer 7

This has already been suggested by Lowell Wood and Ken Caldera of Lawrence Livermore Laboratory near San Fransisco.
Reference: James Lovelock "The Revenge of Gaia" p 164

May I suggest this book and another - "Heat" by George Monbiot to members of this group. They both approach the Global Warming subject from different angles and make good reading. They both present facts and have good references to go back and check up on. That is the way you learn the truth, not by "ignorant" discussion on an internet group.

Personally I did not think much of Monbiot before reading his book but this changed my opinion.

Answer 8

If you want a tech fix why not clean up the mess that has been developing for a few generations? Just cleaning up will fix the problem and what wonderful world it would be. There is no need for all the polution now being made.

Answer 9

Probably work at 10x the price of what we could do on the surface...

And it does not bear additional advantages against pollution and for a more sustainable use of resources.

Answer 10

we can do this cheaper by flying thousands of high altitude ballons with a aluminized coating that will reflect the bad heat .
then hang flower pots from them for ballast full of CO2 eating trees and plants.