Congratulations to those of you who are flying less- or not at all, driving electric vehicles, and making sure you don't waste food. our efforts are helping to stop climate change.
Unfortunately, it is not enough- yet. And even if worldwide climate changing gas emissions were to completely stop today, the warming caused by gasses already in the atmosphere will continue for 30 years.
Some scientists are now pushing for an exploration of geo-engineering solutions, and small scale experiments to see if putting calcium carbonate into the stratosphere could stop planetary warming while we reduce climate changing gas emissions.
A successful cooling action took place in 1991. The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines put sulphur dioxide into the upper atmosphere, and planetary temperatures dropped by a degree. Mt. Tambora's 1815 eruption was followed by the year without summer in 1816. The cooling lasts only a year or two, and that's the good news about this kind of geo-engineering. The cooling effect persists only if the volcano keeps erupting, or the human injection of particles continues.
Using calcium carbonate would theoretically protect the ozone layer from other human emissions while countering the effects of climate changing gases. And the cost would be an affordable five billion dollars a year.
Ocean acidification would not be helped, and unexpected consequences should be expected.
Many in the science community oppose any geo-engineering solutions. But a growing number support the idea that we should explore and experiment with intentional climate change strategies now, in case they become the only way to slow global warming while we all adopt a greener lifestyle.
I'm John Fischer with Living Less Unsustainably.
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