People have found it difficult to abandon fossil fuels, which is why some argue that we will soon have to start geo -projecting – that is, modifying the atmosphere to prevent the catastrophic heating of the planet.
Practice is controversial. Some argue that it is the only solution given that we have long waited to reduce carbon emissions. Others say we should not do two uncontrolled experiments in the soil climate (the first is the global burning of fossil fuels).
This has not stopped people from trying. And an approach protected by Make Sunsets has attracted the attention of the US Environmental Protection Agency.
The beginning is essentially two guys from Silicon Valley who have released weather balloons filled with hydrogen gas and sulfur dioxide particles. When the balloon swims somewhere exceeding 66,000 meters in height, it explodes and releases sulfur dioxide particles, which scatter and reflect the sunlight, cooling the soil a little bit.
The company sells “cooling credit” based on how much it denies the estimated heat any balloon release. Make Sunsets has raised $ 750,000, according to Pitchbook, and the beginning says its investors include BOost VC, Draper Associates and Pioneer Fund.
No founder is a scientist, but the science that stands behind sulfur dioxide and solar reflection is healthy. People accidentally prove the importance of sulfur dioxide in global albo – average reflection of the Earth’s surface – when they lowered the sulfur content of maritime transport fuels in 2020; A prominent climate scientist has argued in favor of practice.
However, given the complexity of the global climate, it is not clear what other effects may have practices. Can plant rain storms in a region while depriving other areas of rain. Some scientists have sought care.
Plus, if sulfur dioxide particles pass closer to the Earth, they can worsen people’s asthma and cause other respiratory problems. Here, EPA gets a problem with Make Sunsets approach to geo -project. Sulfur dioxide is regulated as an air pollutant. EPA Lee Zeldin’s administrator said this week that the agency is investigating the company.
Make Sunsets argue that his actions are legal. On a site on its website, the company says, “Yes, our method of cooling the land falls under the 1976 weather modification act and report each year to NOAA of our placements as required.”
The law is unclear here, however. When written, the act of weather modification is likely to be intended to cover the practice of planting clouds, in which particles like silver iodid are shot in the clouds to induce rain or snowfall. Most of the weather modification today is done by entities such as ski resorts and irrigation districts in the west. It is not clear how the Law on Climate Modification is implemented.
However, while EPA may be justified in its investigation, it is not exactly in accordance with Zeldin’s approach to pollution.
The agency’s increased coal efforts are likely to generate much greater pollution of sulfur dioxide than to make the sun sun with its balloons. A balloon make -sunsets released on November 15, 2024, released 1,715 grams of sulfur dioxide. In 2023, American power plants released 650,000 tons into the atmosphere, most of which came from coal. This is approximately the same amount with 343,900,000 of the starting balloons.
