Fake trees and algae-lined buildings to counter climate change
By Dave Parrack
The issue of climate change is a complicated and controversial one. Some don’t believe it’s humanity’s fault, while some who do don’t really feel the need to do anything about it. But there are scientists, engineers, and scholars out there all the time trying to figure out ways we can help the planet cope. The latest ideas include artificial trees, algae-lined buildings, and white roofs, all designed to help slow down global warming.
I’m a firm believer that climate change is something that our planet experiences every few millennia or so. Which is why Earth has experienced ice ages, or glacial periods, throughout its history. However, there’s also no doubt in my mind that we’re speeding up the process of climate change with how we live, burning fossil fuels and pumping chemicals into the air.
With that in mind, it’s clear something has to be done now, by our generation, to safeguard the planet for future generations to come. Thankfully, although laymen such as myself can help by recycling, using alternative energy sources, and making other small efforts, there are more intelligent people thinking of bigger and better ways to effectively save the planet.
According to The Times, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers this week published a study which included a look a various methods which could be used to help the environment. Those rejected were installing giant mirrors in space to reflect sunlight back to Earth and shooting sulfur particles into the stratosphere to initiate a cooling effect on the planet.
However, some ideas were given the thumbs-up. Artificial trees shaped like giant fly swaters could be installed alongside the major highways of the world. These would be coated with synthetic material designed to soak up C02. It’s estimated that 100,000 of the trees (costing $20,000 each) would be enough to capture all the C02 emissions for a country the size of the U.K.
Also on the table is the idea of coating buildings with algae designed to absorb C02. Once the process was complete, the algae could be used as a biofuel for vehicles. Lastly, painting buildings white, especially the roofs, would help reduce the amount of solar radiation the planet absorbs, thus keeping it cooler.
These ideas all seem pretty simple and cost-effective but the problem is persuading the governments of the world to invest in this kind of green technology. We’ve already seen how some countries are making much more of an effort on this score than others, and until humanity as a whole starts working as a team to combat climate change then I fear we’re all doomed.
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Stumble It!
August 30th, 2009
Good article. Those artificial trees are interesting. Though expensive and taking up a lot of collective space (particularly on crammed city streets) it seems they could effectively solve road related carbon emissions.
September 1st, 2009
Frankenscience!
What a loada twaddle. You jounos’ need to expose the fact that the FRANKENSCIENCE aerosol programs have been running for over 10years without asking you or me before we were treated (and still are) like LAB RATS. Haven’t you ever wondered why the increase in cancers & diseases like MS, Motor Neuron, Alzhimers etc.. I wonder how you sleep at night.
September 5th, 2009
Michelle, you need to take step back and think for moment.
The average life expectancy in the western world is now somewhat longer than that of our grandparents, let alone their parents, thanks to the advances in medicine, lifestyle, public hygeine, living standards, workplace safety etc.
The stuff that used to kill more of us doesn;t anymore, hence why things like MS, MND and cancers seem to be more prevalent. And they are kept in our consciousness by a hyterical media that preys on gut-level emotional response such as demonstrated by you in your post.
Consider that as one ages, particularly in old age, the cell repair and replacement degenerates, thus predisposing towards an increased risk of many cancers. Prostate cancer in men is a classic example of increased risk in old age.
Also consider that diseases such as MS, MND and Alzeimers rarely show up until adulthood, and then progress slowly over years or even decades. No wonder you never heard about them a hundred years ago – hardly enough people lived long enough for these ailments to kill them!
Less of the conspiracy theories, please.