http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/09/11/sewage.energy.ap/index.html
sorry about the inappropriate language but it came in my head and i had to put it down. anyways back on the subject; a city in texas "aims to make money from poo power." San antonio plans to sell methane gas from the sewage treatment plants of its residents. this is expected to bring in a whopping $250,000 a year by selling this renewable resource. Usually waste facilities create 1.5million cubic feet of this natural gas daily from treating biosolids. thats enough gas to fill 1,250 tanker trucks DAILY. thats stinks to most people... literally lol but to me i smell green, a deep lung full of gratifying enviromentalism and of course the money. I see absolutly no downside to this form of energy it's recycling, reusing, and renewable all 3r's. i would take hold of this myself but i'm not Mike Rowe and i don't like dirty things.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Geoengineering
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1721653,00.html
Geoengineering is the artificial modification of the earth's systems to counteract the negative effects humans have on earth. Such as increasing carbon dioxide uptake by fertilizing ocean surface waters or screening out sunlight with orbiting mirrors. And as Bryan Walsh said this does all seem like science fiction but soon it will be our only option. Global warming will soon be if not already unstoppable. Arctic oceans may be ice free sooner than scientist predicted earlier because of record melthing every year so there may be no ice in the arctic in the summer as soon as 2013. the kyoto protocol has become an utter failure to curb the global emmision of greenhouse gases more than a decade after it's signing. the geoengineering that is suggested to cool the earth is to "compensate for an intensified greenhouse effect by reducing the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth" this can be acomplished by "using orbital mirrors to bounce sunlight back into space, fertilizing the oceans with iron to amplify their ability to absorb carbon and even painting roofs white to increase solar reflection." Another idea i found absolutly fascinating was published by Paul Crutzen, a nobel prize winning atmospheric scientist, where he suggested that "releasing vast amounts of sulferous debris into the atmosphere to create a haze that would keep the planet cool" and it would only cost a few hundred million compared to the "unknowable cost of decarbonizing the entire world." If this is so cheap then why isn't it in the progress well thats because this also worsens air pollution which is a huge risk. As we start to rely on the quick fixes of geoengineering we will loose the motivation to decarbonize the world or even be enviromentally friendly. Geoengineering is a great feat of enviromental and atmospheric science thet i hope to one day be partially involved in but i do not aprove of some of the unprofitable quick fixes. We all have to do something not soon, NOW!
Geoengineering is the artificial modification of the earth's systems to counteract the negative effects humans have on earth. Such as increasing carbon dioxide uptake by fertilizing ocean surface waters or screening out sunlight with orbiting mirrors. And as Bryan Walsh said this does all seem like science fiction but soon it will be our only option. Global warming will soon be if not already unstoppable. Arctic oceans may be ice free sooner than scientist predicted earlier because of record melthing every year so there may be no ice in the arctic in the summer as soon as 2013. the kyoto protocol has become an utter failure to curb the global emmision of greenhouse gases more than a decade after it's signing. the geoengineering that is suggested to cool the earth is to "compensate for an intensified greenhouse effect by reducing the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth" this can be acomplished by "using orbital mirrors to bounce sunlight back into space, fertilizing the oceans with iron to amplify their ability to absorb carbon and even painting roofs white to increase solar reflection." Another idea i found absolutly fascinating was published by Paul Crutzen, a nobel prize winning atmospheric scientist, where he suggested that "releasing vast amounts of sulferous debris into the atmosphere to create a haze that would keep the planet cool" and it would only cost a few hundred million compared to the "unknowable cost of decarbonizing the entire world." If this is so cheap then why isn't it in the progress well thats because this also worsens air pollution which is a huge risk. As we start to rely on the quick fixes of geoengineering we will loose the motivation to decarbonize the world or even be enviromentally friendly. Geoengineering is a great feat of enviromental and atmospheric science thet i hope to one day be partially involved in but i do not aprove of some of the unprofitable quick fixes. We all have to do something not soon, NOW!
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