So, you’ve changed your light bulbs, you wear a sweater in your house because you turned your thermostat down, you unplugged all your electronics that aren’t being used and you are now enjoying “5 minute showers.” The world seems safer already! Or is it? As you look down the street at your neighbor’s house, you watch in “climate change horror” as they “warm up their Hummer” before driving the 2 blocks to take their 16 year old son to school (and that’s because his “monster truck” has a flat!) The neighbor other has left all the lights on in his new 10,000 square ft McMansion while away for the weekend, and you have heard rumors about plasma TV’s in all 8 bedrooms! So, are all your sacrifices worth it, or should we just turn to geo-engineering?

Geo-engineering is the stuff of “sci-fi movies and the future.” Or is it? Actually, there are scientists around the world currently working on schemes to save the world by “manipulating or adapting nature” to address the consequences of global warming. Some ideas being considered include:

1. Space Mirrors – a collection of trillions of tiny mirrors orbiting the earth, which would block the solar radiation from reaching us.

2. Stratospheric Aerosols – distributing man made compounds into the upper atmosphere to reflect sunlight away from the earth; or basically simulating the effects of a giant volcanic eruption.

3. Fertilizing the Ocean – accelerating plankton growth, which would cause it to absorb carbon dioxide and an increased rate.

NO KIDDING, and these are only a few of the ideas and plans out there. Many scientists caution against these types of global experiments, as the big unknown will be how our earth will try to “counter” these events. But many credible, intelligent people feel we need to have an “ace up or sleeve” in case of a climate emergency that requires a drastic response.

The bottom line here is that there is a growing, creeping feeling of desperation around climate change challenges. If humankind isn’t going to be able to change consumption or development patterns enough, do we need a more drastic action that will put a stop run away climate change?

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