by: Todd Wheatley
(c) IQ-2k   01-25-14

There can be only one answer to global warming and that is... GLOBAL COOLING. But first I would like to address something complementary and far less controversial: carbonic acid. While many remain skeptical that global warming is a man-made phenomena the lesser publicized problem associated with excessive CO2, ocean acidification, cannot be blamed on sun spots, the tilt of the earth's axis, tectonic plate action, or some other natural cause.

So regardless of your beliefs on global warming, man- made carbon dioxide IS responsible for lowering the Ph of oceans around the globe and it is only going to get worse. Every day cars and electricity production release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuel. After that, contact with the ocean absorbs the carbon dioxide to create carbonic acid. The same kind of carbonic acid you might find in a soft drink, but conditions in the ocean are growing worse as the amount of CO2 increases. Every day total carbon emissions increase as developing nations expand their energy usage. Yet even at todays concentrations the oceans are in real danger.

To illustrate, just imagine using battery acid for your daily shower - that's what today's sea life must contend with. Granted current ocean acidification is far less damaging than battery acid, but even as a mild irritant it threatens to disrupt the entire oceanic food chain. At present, however, clams, mollusks, crustaceans, and other shell fish are experiencing the worse effects.

But where is the outcry? Do you hear anyone championing carbon reduction to save the worlds oceans? No! Moreover the Great Recession has put job protection on the highest priority. Any mention of environmental protection gets quickly dismissed as governmental overreach and a job killer. Not surprisingly politicians keep delaying action on CO2 and global warming and it may be years till they fully appreciate the science. Let's just hope the oceans do not die before something is done.

Fire the do nothing politicians. Change your shopping habits. Reduce your cabon footprint. Excessive carbon dioxide IS THE CAUSE of ocean acidification and while the cause for global warming will continue to be debated the fact of global warming cannot be denied. Fifty years of data on the shrinking Arctic ice cap is indisputable. However by the time the skeptics come on board with the idea of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere you can forget about emission reduction and start thinking about carbon dioxide elimination. Then again if enacting a carbon reduction is this hard, carbon elimination will be all but impossible. Nevertheless GLOBAL COOLING must start soon.

So while the contribution of CO2 to global warming continues to be debated let's take a cue from nature and cool the planet by shading. How about artificial volcanos? There have been a number of volcanic eruptions in my life time and a couple have been large enough to cool the planet for a short duration. If we could get enough dust into the upper atmosphere sunlight will be reflected and shade the earth just like volcano ash ... GLOBAL COOLING.

We can get dust high up in the atmosphere (carbon free) by using the retractable observation balloons currently guarding the Texas-Mexico border. At 20,000 feet or more the particles could remain aloft for long periods of time. Unlike a volcano, however, the dust would not pose a threat to airlines. Albeit some deleterious effects might be seen in reduced plant growth, solar panel output, and nasal irritation. On the plus side summer temperatures could be reduced while winter-time dust operations would promote snow formation adding reflectivity and replenishing glaciers. Still, the effects would be short lived. Therefore sustained operations would be required.

Now consider the type of dust! If we were to use pulverized limestone (chemical compound CaCO3 - calcium carbonate) a reaction would occur with dissolved carbon dioxide to create calcium bicarbonate. THINK ABOUT IT!! Carbon dioxide ELIMINATION! The ANSWER to global warming and ocean acidification.

Yes, the reaction is slow and requires a good amount of moisture, but it is possible. In fact limestone and carbon dioxide react every day to create stalactites and stalagmites in the many caves around the world. The chemistry is easy to demonstrate. Furthermore any material that does not react in the atmosphere will react in the ocean to reduce acidification. So why wait? The technology is simple and limestone is the most abundant rock found across the globe. Clearly there are some risks and potential trade offs, but this solution is available today -- FOR CHEAP!

We should, at the very least, try this on a micro-scale near endangered coral reefs to prevent a death knell by bleaching. Measurements can be taken to confirm a localized reduction in carbon dioxide and reef ecosystems can be saved.

Scientific method: hypothesis, experiment, prove / dis-prove

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