MAN-MADE EFFORTS TO COOL THE EARTH

It’s impossible to stop global warming but it’s possible to slow it down. Scientists have been studying different aspects of ‘geo-engineering’ to reduce the effects of climate change. 

A way that they have found is creating artificial volcanic eruptions, which would blow out millions of kilograms of dust into the air. It is said that sending sulfur-based particles into the atmosphere is an effective way to keep the world cool. A scientist from Copenhagen University said that if dust is sent into the sky, the Earth will be cooled because it will reduce the amount of sunlight that reaches the world, and reflect light back into space.

There are also two different ways to send sulfur-based particles into the atmosphere. First, planes can be equipped with systems that release these particles while they are flying from one place to another. Second, guns can be used to fire shells that contain sulfur-based particles into the atmosphere. 

Scientists are also working on other possibilities to reduce the amount of sunlight to make the world a cooler place. Sunlight can be reduced using the process ‘cloud whitening’. This process is carried out by spraying salt water into the air from thousands of ships. However, this approach has a disadvantage; it may reduce the amount of rainfall in some areas like the Amazon and Africa. 

It is known that one of the major reasons of global warming is the over-production of carbon dioxide. The amount of carbon dioxide production must be reduced immediately. This can be done by increasing the amount of plankton. Plankton is a tiny form of animal and plant life that drifts in the oceans. Caron dioxide is absorbed by it and carried down to the bottom of the ocean when it dies. The disadvantage of this technique is it’s a long procedure.

Adapted from the isicollective website.