WHO’S DOING THIS? Like most problems, the answer is not simple. The obvious first choice is the military. History shows that the concept of weather warfare is not new to them and that they have considered weather manipulation as a tactical advantage. It is a common practice for military jets to dump glass strips coated with aluminum from planes when doing manoeuvres, supposedly to block radar. A 19960research paper entitled “Weather as a Force Multiplier: Owning the Weather in 2025 was presented to the US Air Force. Its primary focus was to identify ways to capitalize on emerging technologies for the use of future weather-modification to achieve military objectives. These objectives include everything from controlling precipitation and visibility to limiting fresh water through drought. They even include ways to reduce vulnerability from hostile enemy activities, which alludes to the fact that they believe this is a real threat from other nations too. Besides the interest by the military, there is evidence to suggest that private enterprise is also interested in manipulating our eco-system for a broad range of reasons. Scientists have tested and used cloud and atmospheric seeding for weather modification and know these methods have quick effect and the cost is extremely inexpensive to deliver the chemicals to the stratosphere. It is in private enterprises’ best interest to suggest that we are past the point where reducing emissions will help. When there is a problem, there are companies that will come up with solutions for a profit, and if geoengineering is touted as a cheap, quick and easy fix, it would be so much easier for everyone. There wouldn’t have to be drastic changes in fossil fuel usage or production. In the US alone t... ... middle of paper ... ...rk together. Efforts such as the Montreal Protocol were largely successful in reducing the use of ozone-destroying chemicals, but many countries chose to not even participate in the Kyoto Protocol or other efforts. It appears that corporations do control many governments today. The only way to provoke change is through continued pressure for change and education for those that know nothing about what is going on. You have now grasped the basics. There are plenty of ways to get involved if you want to do more. Just search for someone already involved near you or start your own website. Bring the topic up with your local politician and provide them with information so that they cannot say they do not know about geoengineering. Your small part is not small. As the Dalai Lama once said, “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.”
The dawn of a new engineering technique called geoengineering aims to save the Earth via large-scale manipulation of the environment to counteract global warming. “The Geoengineering Gambit” by Kevin Bullis, is an article about some of the ways geoengineering could solve the climate crisis and the problems that could be created by those solutions. Bullis gained knowledge of geoengineering and the climate problem from his work as energy editor for the journal Technology Review. Bullis' job as an editor builds for him a strong base of believability in the field, and demonstrates the basis for his credibility while building his ethos. The proposed geoengineering solutions are in relation to the current climate problems. Bullis’ purpose was to bring attention to the current geoengineering proposed solutions. Bullis talks about the current solutions that geoengineering offers but also the perceived problems as well. Bullis also brings up the ethical problems that can arise from these solutions. For example, problems nations would have with another nation launching things into the atmosphere is one of the many problems Bullis finds cause to study. Bullis also brings up his feelings on geoengineering and how it would be better if mankind were able to lessen the impact on our environment instead of applying temporary or artificial fixes. Bullis intentionally aimed this article at everyone given the worldwide impact on people that some claim through geoengineering. Bullis unintentionally aimed the article at the US Government and other leaders from influential nations. The tone of the article is really saying that geoengineering could possibly help but more tests and results are necessary before drawing important conclusions. ...
Thesis Statement: Due to the limitations of global climate models used as predictors for future calamitous climate changes and the lack of fact-based knowledge regarding the climate, we should avoid geoengineering because of the unknown and possibly devastating consequences.
I get so frustrated when people say that it’s difficult to effect change on a large scale.
The term used for this manipulation is geoengineering, the manipulation of any environmental process. Scientists have proven that geoengineering has led to climate change, mainly global warming. The atmosphere was compared to 20th century times when, “high levels of pollution sent massive amounts of aerosols into the atmosphere, where they blocked some of the sun’s energy” (Zielinski). The amount of aerosols in the atmosphere determines the amount of the sun’s energy we receive, the more there are, the lesser energy reaches the Earth’s surface, and vice versa. Scientists have been able to prove that these contrails contribute to climate change (Zielinski). The sun’s energy is either blocked off, or absorbed, causing global warming or cooling. Christina Sarich states that, “the government continues to lie to us about the existence of weather-ownership via geoengineering”. This is important because we need the sun to survive and the aerosols being sent into the atmosphere make the sun dim and the amount of energy we receive changes (Zielinski). Jane McGrath also states that “the government is intentionally spraying people with harmful substances into order to experiment with the effects” in order to “weed out the sick and the elderly”. Chemtrails have been scientifically proven, but the government denies their
It is the responsibility of the developed world to change. They have the resources and technology to significantly curb emissions and dampen the effects of climate change. As the world’s second largest emitter of Co2, and as the world’s largest economy, the US must become a leader in the battle against climate change. However, historical incidents of environmental degradation indicate that will power is simply not enough. Unless environmental problems are seen and felt, the US population has been slow and reluctant to act. Unfortunately this lack of will power is still present. As a citizen of the United States, I see no hope for change without the help and intervention of government. Without economic incentive, individuals and firms will not change. I believe that the US government must intervene and implement emission reduction policies, and work toward limiting emissions to the earth’s natural sink function.
Case Study - Corporate Obstacles to Pollution Prevention. Overview This case focuses on corporate obstacles to pollution prevention. Pollution prevention can be complex, especially for large corporations. There are many different forms of pollution prevention, including emissions control devices and incremental changes in existing technology.
Eco terrorism has been said by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to be "the most significant domestic terror threat facing the United States today" ("Environmental"). This assumption could not be any more true. Everyday, the lives of many innocent citizens and animals are put in danger just for a group of people to try to make a statement about what they believe is right, and what they believe is wrong. These actions are "usually committed by individuals who believe that the exploitation of natural resources and despoliation of the environment are becoming so severe that action outside of conventional legal and environmental channels is required" ("Ecoterrorism." Pollution). Although this may be effective in getting the wanted attention brought to the subject, a better system needs to be found that doesn't put any innocents in harm's way.
According to an essay titled “Why Bother?” by Michael Pollan, he is in agreement with the NASA scientist James Hensen who exclaimed that there is “ten years left for us to act and start cutting the carbon emission or we will be facing a different planet” (767). I, for one, do not agree with this statement. People are not the only
One of the most compelling and difficult environmental problems society is facing today is climate change. People do not realize how much the environment has changed for the worse in the last ten years, until they are told that the last two decades of the 20th century have been the hottest in the last 400 years, according to climate studies (Conserve Energy Future). Today the carbon dioxide levels have reached 396.81 parts per million (ppm). “Carbon dioxide (CO2) has also increased over the last 100 years-- from about 300 ppm to 370 ppm. Interestingly, the majority of these additions have occurred in the last 50 years, when temperature increases have been slowest” (geocraft). There are no known solutions yet to reverse these effects in the environment, however there are many things people can do to prevent it from increasing. By implementing a carbon tax the government can tax corporations on how much carbon they emit into the atmosphere. With the extra money from the tax, scientist can invest in alternative ways to reduce how much carbon is emitted. Reducing climate change is going to take years and so nothing is going to get fixed anytime soon, but meanwhile we can use that extra money to begin cleaning up the atmosphere. There are many ways to explain climate change, some say its due to the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, others say it is the burning of the fossils fuels, some even say it’s the greenhouse gases. All of these sayings mean the exact same thing, no matter how one says it. I believe there are more convenient ways to solve climate change; and if the government would to implement a carbon tax on companies they will then be forced to re-evaluate all the carbon they emit to the environment and red...
The most feasible strategy presented currently is geoengineering. Although it is possible to have negative side effects from geoengineering; if it is properly researched, tested, and done correctly it can be the method of reversing current negative anthropogenic forcing’s. The negative stigmas put against geoengineering is hindering possible progress in reducing the continual onset of the
In The Development of Environmental Regimes: Chemicals, Wastes, and Climate Change, the authors provide a simple framework to analyze the development of global environmental regimes (GER) which ultimately addresses why states sometimes agree to cooperate on global environmental issues despite divergent interests. The chapter is divided into five subsections but begins with an introduction to explain the five processes involved in the development of GERs. The authors address questions such as who forms GERs and how are they formulated. Next, they apply the processes involved in the development of GERs to four case studies that are linked to global environmental issues: ozone depletion, hazardous waste, toxic chemicals, and climate change, respectively. The authors conclude that states and non-state actors can come together to address global environmental issues but not without obstacles.
Nowadays, we can see a lot of campaigns to reduce this humans’ contribution of greenhouse gases to atmosphere. These campaign’s missions are usually about reducing the energy that we use, convincing us to use recyclable energy, stopping the deforestation... These missions are all about mitigating to climate change. Climate change mitigation is the actions to limit the significant rate of long term climate change. In other words, climate change mitigation is all of the actions about lowering the humans’ greenhouse gas contribution to atmosphere. It is now too late for humans’ to prevent the effects of climate change, but these effects can be reduced in the future with mitigation. The most popular treaty, disenchant of humanity, is Kyoto Protocol. The main goal of Kyoto Protocol is reducing the human emitted greenhouse gases, in other word, mitigation. Also in ways that underlying national differences in GHG emissions, wealth, and capacity to make th...
The world’s greatest powers have shown a lack of interest in the way that they are destroying the environment around them. The rise of the climate through the years has been altering how different organisms have had to survive. The world’s use of fossil fuels and CO2 emissions is at an all-time high. The countries with the highest CO2 emissions are same countries with the largest economies. The United States, China, India, Japan, and Russia are the top five leaders in CO2 emissions. All together they account for around 60% of the total carbon emissions worldwide. In order to cut down on the amount of CO2 emissions counties need start regulating their larger industries that create the highest amount of carbon emissions.
Because of this the government has been put into a major predicament. They have, and must continue to create laws, to protect the environment. However they cannot simply place unrealistic restrictions and limitations onto the major polluters; that are the manufacturing companies. These manufacturers emit large quantities of waste and greenhouse gases. However that is the cost of today’s society. The world needs certain commodities to function properly; like paper products, gasoline, oil and other petroleum by-products, as well as many other products that; whether we like it or not, are harmful to the environment, to make and use.
While this may contain some truth, most believe that the causes of aerosol, fossil fuels, and the greenhouse effect are the reasons for global warming. These causes can easily be reduced if we take the time and effort to halt the action. Simple actions can be made that will not have a severe effect on our everyday lives. Al Gore once said, "The good news is, we have everything we need now to respond to the challenge of global warming. " We have all the technologies we need, more are being developed but we should not wait, we cannot wait, we must not wait.”