global warming- Artificial clouds can end it -Also other ideas.

[oscar111]

We must not limit our minds to just one way to end global warming.

A multipronged approach is best.

Read about other ways, ways faster and easier than Kyoto.

Artificial clouds, orbiting sunshade, etc etc.

I would add to the list:

clouds from sources not mentioned in the link, such as ocean steam generated by orbital lasers powered by the sun.

I invite all to think up other novel ways to cool the planet. Win yourself a Nobel Prize, for such will surely be the result of a good way to end the warming.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/01/15/archive/main264362.shtml

[Marie26]

1. How about

we stop polluting the environment & use less energy? Where's my prize?

[oscar111]

5. good ideas, but may not get enough results by themselves

so i still would like other ways put into effect as well

[longship]

2. Ocean Steam???? Horrors, No.

H20 is a very agressive greenhouse gas.

[oscar111]

3. really? thanks for the input if you are being serious.

i had merely noticed a fifteen degree drop during sudden cloudiness

but thanks for the input

[longship]

9. Explanation

Adding more water vapor to the atmosphere would increase global warming. It's one of the positive feedback mechanisms. More heat means more water vapor which means more heat--repeat ad infinitum.

The methodology being suggested is to increase the planet's albido by making the existing clouds more reflective. This is accomplished by adding particulate pollution to the atmosphere which reduces the size of water drops in the clouds and makes them more reflective thereby reducing the solar energy at the surface. It's called global dimming. See the very scary PBS NOVA special called "Dimming Sun" for details.

The nice thing about this mechanism is that it a short-lived but highly effective mechanism. The particulate pollution falls out of the atmosphere easily, unlike C02.

[sgxnk]

4. frickin lasers! throw me a bone here people! :)

[LeftCoast]

6. As long as we keep pumping carbon into the atmosphere we will

continue to have dire environmental consequences. Even IF you could stop the warming aspect, adding more carbon to the atmosphere will cause the acidity of the oceans to continue to rise. The acidity is already at dangerous levels. If we make the oceans so acidic that they cannot support life, we will have FAR larger problems than simply global warming.

[Lindacooks]

7. Yes, you are exactly right.

These band-aid fixes will NOT stop the problem. We need to fundamentally change how we live, or the Earth will do it for us.

[neoblues]

8. I Votes we Shoot missyles with water in 'em intuh thuh Sun...

thet way'd the Sun'd Cool down uh littul? Duhr... (Iye Wint Tuh SKool Wif Gorge Bush an Iye Got Bettr Graydes To! I Kooda Ben Presydint Ifn My Daddy'dn Bin Richer'n SHIT Two!!! (Hic))

[MadHound]

10. Trouble is, artificial clouds actually may increase global warming

By trapping heat in, rather than letting it out. There's a fairly good theory out there how contrails from jets are actually spreading out and forming into artificial clouds that are actually trapping heat and contributing to global warming.

Rather than mucking around with things that we have no clue about the ramifications of, let's just do what we know works, cut down on emissions, cut down on greenhouse gases, and switching to cleaner, renewable alternative energy sources. Sure, it's not as sexy as artificial clouds, and it is a long term solution rather than a short term band-aid, but we know that such plan won't have unexpected side effects and with indeed bring our planet back into balance.

[eppur_se_muova]

11. Think POSITIVELY about Nuclear Winter ??

Are we that desperate?

[Warren DeMontague]

12. Millions of solar panel satellites in orbit, beaming back power to Earth

Sure, you'd need a LOT of them.

Providing clean power while simultaneously reducing the net total of sunlight falling on the planet.

[jilln]

13. Fortunately we have a huge surplus we can spend on this kind of stuff!

Oh snap!

[Warren DeMontague]

14. Y'know, if we cut the M/I complex budget down to about 1/10th of itself

ended the "drug war", demanded some kind of refund on our $300 Billion (and counting!) in Iraq, stopped spending billions to keep cancer grannies from smoking pot or consenting adults from watching gonzo porn... I bet we could afford to do SOMETHING.

[soothsayer]

15. and recover the missing 2 TRILLION rummy said was missing

from the Pentagon a few years ago.... (seriously---TRILLIONS unaccounted for)

[Warren DeMontague]

16. "A trillion here, a trillion there...

...pretty soon you're talking about REAL money!" ;)

[jilln]

17. And yet if I fail to account for $100 of freelance income...

they'll be asking about it.

[Junkdrawer]

18. We're listening to Dr. Strangelove (Ed Teller) rather than talking...

to the rest of the world.

Just fucking shoot me now....